Shaken
by Saylahvie
Summary: After a blow from Granger sends him deviating from the path that was laid for him, Draco Malfoy finds himself starting his seventh year as Head Boy. His counter part, the same hot headed witch who changed his life far more than she knew, is wary of him despite his new hero status. Can they reconcile their past, or will he always be who he once was in her eyes?
1. How'd I Get Here

**Disclaimer: I don't own the rights to any character or anything related to the Harry Potter universe. Mores the pity.**

From the moment Hermione Granger slapped him across the face back in third year, Draco Malfoy knew that things were going to change. She'd knocked him on his ass in doing so, flipped everything he'd known on it's ear.

He'd seen the pain and rage in her eyes when he'd called her mudblood. It wasn't the first time he'd done it - after all that's what she was, wasn't it? Surely someone as logical as Granger knew better than to get so worked up by the truth. And yet, she'd been angry enough to strike him.

Now why was that?

He spent the whole night replaying it, unable to shake the event from his mind. His whole life, he'd been taught that mudbloods were inferior. That being a pureblooded wizard made him, quite simply, better. It was only then that he stopped to ask himself why exactly that made him better than her.

It couldn't be brains because despite her muggle parentage, Granger was quite intelligent. In fact, she was the only one in their year to habitually score higher than him in their classes, much to his chagrin. It's couldn't be appearance either because loath as he was to admit it, Granger wasn't unpleasant to look at. True she had somewhat buck teeth and was gangly in the way that 13 year olds are, to say nothing of that unruly mop of coffee colored frizz she called hair, but she also had an easy smile and kind eyes, and the way her expressive brows furrowed when concentrating on her studies was unexpectedly appealing.

So what exactly was it that made her less than? Why had his father taught him that she and her ilk were filth when he could find no true reason for it?

That was the first time he thought that maybe...maybe his father had it wrong.

That was a turning point in his life. He was still Draco Malfoy, still smug and arrogant - though if you asked him, was it truly arrogance when it's well deserved? But he had started to investigate principles he'd previously just taken on faith, and found them sorely lacking. He was an intelligent person who placed a lot of stock in logic and proven facts, and the more he searched the more the truth became glaringly obvious.

The only difference between muggleborns and purebloods was that one simply grew up not knowing about magic. That was it.

The revelation had shocked him at first, then angered him. Not because he discovered that muggleborns were not inherently lesser but because he discovered that he came from a long line of unwarranted bigotry. It infuriated him that his ancestors besmirched the name of Malfoy with such foolishness. He had no problem with being superior, enjoyed it in fact, but only for legitimate reasons. He still found himself superior to a majority of his peers for their lack of wealth or intelligence or ability to reason for themselves.

There were very few he found equal to himself. Blaise Zabini was one such equal. A fellow Slytherin in his year, the tall dark boy had become his closest friend, inasmuch as either of them had friends. The two had rarely crossed paths before though, Blaise was intelligent and cunning, since he had never bought into the pureblood bias or the Slytherin tenancy to follow the Dark Lords teachings. After his discovery, Draco found himself drawn to seek out more intelligent companions than the eager-to-be-death-eaters Crabbe Goyle. Vince Greg had never really been his friends anyhow, not in ways that mattered.

Another such equal, though he'd never cop to it aloud, was none other than Hermione Granger herself. She continued to best him in classes and challenge him whenever there were debates in class. It seemed almost as though their classrooms became their own personal battlefield on which they tested their wits against each other. He'd be lying if he said he didn't grudgingly admire her dedication to the pursuit of knowledge. Why she hung around with that half wit Weasel the only marginally brighter Boy Who Lived To Annoy Him was beyond Draco.

Not that he'd been asked.

During their 4th year, at the Yule Ball, yet another thing changed. Draco had been sitting at a table, half listening to whatever Pansy was saying, when the champions walked in with their escorts. On the arm of the Durmstrang champion was none other than Hermione Granger. Her curls were glossy and frizz free, and she was wearing a gown of the softest periwinkle. Draco was sure he'd never thought of a color as specific as periwinkle, but there didn't seem to be another way to describe it. She looked older than the girl who not a week before had traded insults with him in transfiguration class. More elegant. She looked, he realized with no small amount of shock, beautiful.

Granger, the muggleborn know it all, one third of the insufferable golden trio, was stunning.

He'd quickly schooled himself into a bored facade, but inside he was spinning. Had he really thought she was beautiful? Maybe it was the dress or the hair or the atmosphere the ball created. That must be it, he reasoned. He knew he respected her intelligence, and it was likely that he was just being caught up in the moment confusing beauty with shock. Yes, that was it. That's what he told himself every time he stole a sideways glance at her that night.

Yet every time he saw Krum lean in to whisper to her or take her hand for a dance, he felt a stab of something. Annoyance? Yes, that felt right. She was, after all, the only one who he could test himself against. And this was his school. That's what it had to be. Territorial instincts. Right. And when she tore past him in the hall crying after a fight with Weasel, he had to remind himself that she was his adversary. Right.

The true turning point though came the summer before sixth year. Voldemort had returned. His father, ever the faithful death eater, had offered up his son as a spy and willing sacrifice. Draco would never forget the fanatical gleam in his fathers eye when he presented him to the Dark Lord, or the overwhelming feeling of wrongness that washed over Draco as he beheld him. He was horrifying. Draco couldn't see how anyone, let alone the proud Luscious Malfoy, could stand to grovel at the feet of the dark wizard. He could hardly stand to be in his presence.

He was tasked with finding a way to get death eaters into Hogwarts, and then he himself was to kill the only wizard Voldemort had ever feared. Dumbledore. He knew immediately that he couldn't go through with it. He also knew that it would be suicide to refuse the assignment. He accepted, and upon returning for his sixth year did something he'd never imagined himself doing. He turned for help to the very man he was supposed to kill. Dumbledore helped him work out a plan, one to keep Draco and his mother safe from the Dark Lords wrath.

His father was beyond saving, but his mother was just an unwilling ride along thanks to her husband. To his eternal surprise, the headmaster revealed that Severus Snape was working as a spy for the Order of The Phoenix. He was to help Draco enact Dumbledore's plan.

In the end, he lead over twenty death eaters into Hogwarts, and right in to the clutches of the Order. It was a brutal fight, one Draco was surprised to see Potter and his band of do gooders fighting. Though he supposed he wasn't much better. Unwilling to be taken as prisoners, all but one of the death eaters met their demise at the end of a wand. Some even at the end of their own. One survived though, long enough to apparate away from the castle back to his master. Latching onto his apparition trail, the members of the Order the students fighting along side them were suddenly face to face with Voldemort and the remaining death eaters. The appeared just in time to watch Voldemort fire a killing curse at Draco's father, before Potter and Dumbledore killed him in turn.

He still wasn't sure how he felt about the events of the past year. His father was dead, his mother was under house arrest, and he was inexplicably a hero. Dumbledore and Snape had made his involvement known, and he'd been hailed by the papers for his bravery. Frankly, he wished they'd stop treating him like some sodding Gryffindor parading about for glory. If he was being honest with himself, he wasn't really sure he'd deserved the accolades. He'd believed all of the same things the death eaters had just a few short years ago. Had it not been for a hotheaded witch with a wicked right hook, he would have gladly obliged his assignment. It didn't sit well with him.

Nor did the fact that many of his housemates were dead or on the run, having thrown their lot in with the wrong side. He'd known Crabbe and Goyle since they were in swaddling and they were both dead. Just like he could've been.

He was also very uneasy with the fact that he'd somehow been made Head Boy. He wanted to attribute it to his nearly flawless marks but he knew it had more to do with his new status as a staple of team good. That brought him back to the present. He was ambling down the corridor on the Hogwarts express, making his way to the Heads cabin for the meeting with his female counterpart and whatever prefects they'd selected this year. He just hoped it was someone tolerable, and someone easily manipulated. After the stress of sixth year, he was greatly looking forward to spending most of his time relaxing and therefore planned to push most of his responsibilities on whichever witch they'd scrounged up for Head Girl.

But of course, when is it ever that simple? He let out a long breath as he opened the Heads compartment, drawling in a way that he knew she'd hate, "Granger. I should have guessed."

 **A/N: Hello there! I'm not a fan of long authors notes, so I'll keep this short and sweet. This is my first time writing a fic of any kind. You know the saying "If there's a story you want to read that you can't find, write it yourself"? Well, that's what this is for me haha. Hope you enjoy!**


	2. Why Him

**Disclaimer: I don't own the rights to any characters or anything related to the Harry Potter universe. Mores the pity.**

 _He may have been integral in bringing down Voldemort,_ Hermione thought, _but he's still a git._ She wasn't surprised to see him in the Heads cabin. It made sense that after his part in the happenings of last year that he'd be made a prefect. Most likely it would be a nominal position. She couldn't really see Malfoy preforming his duties. Him, patrol the halls? Not likely. Still, looking at him leaning against the door frame with that smug look he perpetually wore was enough to raise her hackles.

"Malfoy" She said, her voice dripping with disdain. "I was wondering when you'd show your face, ferrety though it may be." She couldn't help the petty satisfaction she felt as his smirk slid into a scowl.

She probably ought to have been more polite seeing as how she was now Head Girl, but she couldn't help it. He was Malfoy. The boy who had tormented her throughout their schooling, the first person who had ever called her a mudblood. She'd heard it many times since then, and had tried to develop a tolerance for it, but you never forgot the first person who introduced you to a new kind of hurt. It had been during her second year in this strange new world, and she wasn't prepared for the prejudices she was going to face in the wizarding world. Not that muggles were without their prejudices, and she supposed they were one in the same. It appeared that no matter the people, some would always try to assert superiority by some asinine accident of birth. It still stung, like tiny paper cuts no one could see, but nothing compared to that first time. To be twelve years old learn that people actually thought her blood to be tainted was heart breaking.

Not that he needed to know any of that.

Still scowling, he took a seat as far from her as he could get in the small compartment. "Oh you're going to make this a lovely year, aren't you?" he said. His voice was rougher than she'd known it to be. In fact, he looked a little rougher as well. His white-blonde hair fell nearly to his slate colored eyes now that he'd forsaken that awful hair gel. His normally ghastly pale skin was a shade darker. Not much of a difference, but when you've been enemies as long as they had, you noticed these things. He was still tall and lean, all sophisticate lines and angles that only served to swell his already over inflated ego.

She wished she'd left a mark that time she'd hit him years ago. Something to mar the perfect shell he hid behind and let his true nature show.

"Look," she said after a few calming breaths, "I don't want to be stuck in here with you any more than you do with me. Let's just wait for the other prefects and Head Boy to get here, go over everything with McGonagall, and then be out of each others hair. It's not like you want this position anyhow." She saw his eyebrows narrow in confusion for the briefest flash before his face was taken over by a look that said 'I know something you don't know'.

"I was unaware you'd be able to get anything out of that mountain you call hair, Granger. Color me shocked." he quipped, and with a face of exaggerated surprise propped his feet rather rudely on the seat across from him. Not even two minutes with him and already she felt likely to throttle him. How on earth was she going to handle bi-monthly head/prefect meetings? Merlin she hoped she could convince the head boy to field most of the Malfoy drama that was guaranteed to arise.

Speaking of, she wondered who had been selected. Her first thought was Harry, but he'd already told her he hadn't been selected. It was probably for the best seeing as how he was going through so much. With Voldemort well and truly gone, no one trying to kill him around every corner, he could finally focus on doing well in his studies. His marks had been average throughout their years, understandable given the circumstances. This was seventh year though, and there was no dire situations. He needed to buckle down. Not to mention the whole Ginny debacle.

She'd been enamored with him since before she properly met him, and he'd thought he felt something too. They got together soon after that final battle but quickly learned that it wasn't meant to be. Ginny realized that her childhood adoration hadn't translated into true affections, and Harry realized that what he felt was a natural interest but not really anything. They had agreed splitting was the best thing to do but that didn't mean it was easy or clean. Neither wanted to hurt the other, and the resulting tiptoeing around each other made it incredibly awkward for them and anyone with them. The only one happy with the situation was Ron, who had never appreciated his best friend and his only little sister snogging behind his back.

 _Oh Ron_ , she thought wistfully. _You big idiot. You were so worried about what was happening behind your back that you never stopped to see what was in front of you._ She'd harbored latent feeling for her ginger friend since he'd tried to curse Malfoy for calling her a mudblood. It'd backfired of course, and he'd spent the next two nights with his head in a bucket collecting puke slugs, but still. It was the thought that counted. He'd stood up for her at a time when she'd been her most vulnerable. That mattered.

Unfortunately, it seemed to be a one sided affection. Ron had never given her any hint that he was felling what she did, and yet she'd held tight to her crush, unwilling to give up on him. She was so sure that if he'd just been given the time to realize what they could have, he'd return her sentiments and they could try to have something real. She'd even thought he might've been jealous of Viktor, innocent as their relationship was. But he was actually just acting out of some sort of territorial nonsense, thinking he had a right to say who she saw or snogged. It disappeared as soon as the Durmstrang boys left, ans she was once again alone in her secret admiration.

That had all changed this summer though. During one of the many celebration parties they'd attended, when they were both drunk on this new found freedom and punch that Fred and George had spiked when no one was looking, they'd surrendered their innocence to one another. It had been a sweaty, rushed affair, with a lot of sloppy kissing and a handful of shallow thrusts from Ron's end before he'd collapsed beside her and soon fell asleep. She remembered a distinct feeling of disappointment, like a balloon that you'd expected to pop but had instead simply lost all of it's inflation. She'd cast a quick contraceptive charm as well as a _scourgify_ , but she couldn't help thinking, _That's it? That's what all the fuss has been about? I've had charms lessons more exhilarating than that..._ She chalked it up to first time nerves, and curled up beside Ron happy to dream of what they were starting. Only, apparently they weren't starting anything. Ron had woken up mortified, and shaken her awake with his hand covering his eyes. "Merlin Hermione, I am so sorry. The punch must have had something in it. You have to believe, I'd have never..." But that was all she needed to hear. He regretted their night together, and admitted that it never would've happened if they'd been sober. So even though her heart was shattering for her ruined dreams, she pulled on her dress and her best smile and reassured Ron that she didn't blame him, that there was no blame to place. They were both drunk right? It didn't have to become a thing if they didn't want it to.

So he'd happily gone back to being one of her two best friends, and she went back to gather the splintered bits of her heart and find a way to piece them together again. It would have been easier if she could hate him, if he'd done anything on purpose to hurt her. But in the end she only had herself to blame for holding on when she should've let go. The worst part was having no one to talk to about it. She couldn't very well tell Ron, and Harry had enough to deal with. Ginny would listen but it felt wrong to talk to the younger girl about a drunken one night stand with her brother. No, this was one hurt she'd have to sort out herself.

She was so lost in her thoughts and memories that she hadn't even noticed when the compartment filled with her peers. a calm but firm "Miss Granger" snapped her out of her reverie. It had come from the stern teacher she had come to regard as a pseudo mother during her time at school. "Now that I have everyone's attention," Professor McGonagall said with a look at Hermione that was half chastising half fond, "I'd like to get down to business. It has taken much longer than it should have for you all to make your way here and as such, we are short on time. Let us discuss your duties and get to it, shall we?" The reprimand in her tone was clear, and everyone opened the scrolls they'd been given with no hesitation.

It was a long list of requirements for each role, particularly for the Head Boy and Head Girl, but Hermione was secretly quite pleased. Losing herself in her studies and her duties had always been a good distraction for her. Godric knew she could use some of that about now. She'd decided on the way to Kings Cross that it was time for her to move on let the torch that she'd carried for Ron all these years die out. Which was much easier said that done, she'd discovered. Head Girl responsibilities was just what the mediwitch ordered.

It was only as McGonagall dismissed the group to get changed into their robes since they were only fifteen minutes from Hogwarts that she realized she didn't know who her fellow Head was. "Professor!" She called, and watched as the teacher turned back to her with a patient but weary expression. "Yes, Miss Granger?" said the tired elder witch.

"I'm sorry to hold you up, ma'am. It's only that I didn't hear you announce who Head Boy is. I'd like to arrange some scheduling with him as soon as possible."

"Trying to get me alone under the guise of paperwork? Seems a bit beneath you, Granger." She turned to look at the smirking face of Malfoy as she took in what he said, and remembered the knowing amused look he'd had before the meeting. As it all fell together in her mind, she turned with a look of abject horror back to her teacher as she raised her hand in a halting motion and said sternly, "Crass as his introduction may have been, Mr. Malfoy is telling the truth. He is our Head Boy for this coming year. Ah ah-" she cut Hermione off as she began to protest, "I do not wish to her your objections Miss Granger. Mr. Malfoy has shown himself to be a fine young man and he is who the staff has unanimously decided shall be Head Boy. If you have any further objections, you may always resign from your position. If not, the two of you will meet me in by the stairs after dinner and I will show you to your dormitories."

Hermione just stared as she walked away like she hadn't just dropped a massive bomb. Malfoy was Head Boy. They were to share living quarters. Separate bedrooms of course, but a shared bathroom, kitchenette, and living space. She felt a shoulder brush past hers, and heard the newly rough voice of her counterpart chuckle, "I told you this was going to be fun, Granger."

She glowered at him, but he merely tossed her a wink and sauntered back towards his cabin to change. If she wasn't mistaken, there was a hint of jauntiness in the smug pricks gait.

 _Fucking hell,_ she thought miserably, _so much for my perfect year._

 **A/N: Hey guys! Just a quick caveat. I know this is the second chapter in one day, but the normal up date speed will NOT be as frequent. I'm off work today and spilling it out as it comes, but I do have to get back to work and will therefore have less time to write. I will most likely put out a chapter a week. Enjoy!**


	3. Welcome Back To Hogwarts

**Disclaimer: I don't own the rights to any characters or anything related to the Harry Potter universe. Mores the pity.**

 ** _A/N: Hey guys, just a heads up. I do NOT want to rush things between them, I want them to grow into whatever happens in ways they might've been able to had things gone differently. So there will be no immediate anything, and it won't solely focused on growing the dramione aspect. It's also about them growing as people, learning how to live in a Post Voldemort world, gaining interpersonal skills. I'm in this for a long haul. If you're looking for quick fluff, this ain't it_**.

It had been more than worth rushing to get changed to stick around and see the look on Granger's face when McGonagall told her who Head Boy was. She'd turned five shades of indignant, and it was obvious she was keeping that temper in check by sheer force of will alone. He thought she may actually hit him again when he'd winked at her and strolled away, leaving her to fume. Oh, he was going to enjoy this role much more than he'd previously thought. _With any luck_ , he thought a bit snarkily, _she'll get so fed up with me she'll quit and they'll replace her with someone I can get to do the menial tasks._ Because even in his sketchiest schemes, he knew the one thing he'd never be able to get away with in the current set up would be laying the grunt work at Granger's feet. She'd likely hex him.

Upon entering the Great Hall, he caught sight of Blaise and made a beeline for him. He took up the seat between his friend and a second year he had only the vaguest recollection of. "You won't believe what happened on the train after you prefects left, Zabini." he said, barely concealing a grin that kept threatening to spread over his face. He loved to rile the muggleborn up, and he was now being given golden opportunities and ample ammo with which to do it! His luck certainly had been turning around lately.

Blaise turned to him, his face only fractionally less arrogantly set than Draco's, and shook his head in a mockingly chastising manner. "Oh hello, Malfoy. It's a pleasure to see you as well. Oh yes I had a wonderful summer, mother snagged yet another husband. Thank you for inquiring." he finished in the same droll tone that one might actually use to give a vague description of their holiday. It was mildly impressive, the lengths Blaise would go to in order to make the full extend of his sarcasm known. It was equally annoying. He suspected that his friend would not be given so many passes were it not for his good looks. He often thought the same thing about himself.

Where Draco was all fair ice coloring, Blaise was the warmth of earth tones. His deep chestnut skin laid over smooth athletic muscle and a broad frame would have seemed overwhelming were it not for the fine bones of his face and gracious curve of his mouth, the the honey brown of this eyes that bid you to trust him. Draco knew Blaise was uncommonly good looking. He also knew that he was as cunning and devious as they came. It was part of why they got on so well. Neither was above a few underhanded plays if it meant getting what they wanted, and both knew how to use their looks to suit their needs. This, however, was not one of those instances.

"What are you on about?" He asked of his friend, eyebrow cocked at his odd tangent. Blaise merely shrugged and said, "It's bad form to not ask about someones travels while they've been away, Malfoy. I know you were brought up with better manners than that."

"I was brought up with a great many things, Zabini. Had I held on to all of them we wouldn't be talking as we are now."

A sly smile lit Blaise's face, and with a perfunctory nod he agreed. "Too right you are, Malfoy. And it is because you've let go of your old ways that you are going to help me in my pursuit of _her_ " he said matter-of-factly, and pointed an inconspicuous finger behind Draco's shoulder. Draco covertly followed the line his friend indicated- and choked on his pumpkin juice when he saw to whom he was indicating. Sputtering and trying to clean the juice from his nose with a semblance of dignity, he gave Blaise a look of incredulity - along with something else he couldn't quite name - and said in a low whisper, _"You want to go after Hermione Granger?"_

Blaise's expression turned to one of confusion before he glanced back at the Gryffindor table. A look of understanding took his features, and he replied in an equally hiss like timbre, "Not Granger you bloody tosser, she's far more your type. I'm talking about the redhead on her right! Ginevra Weasly." Draco turned again to see in fact that the Weaselette was indeed seated to the right of Granger. He gave himself a mental shake. He wasn't sure why but for a flash, he'd been more angry with Blaise than he'd ever been before at the young man. In point of fact, he wasn't sure he'd ever actually _been_ mad at him before. They both knew just how far they could push each other and never crossed those lines. Odd. He decided to put it at the back of his mind until he was alone and could examine it more thoroughly. Turning back in his seat, he fixed his housemate with a puzzled stare. "Why in hell do you want to pursue the young she Weasel?" he asked in sincerity.

Blaise remained quiet for a moment, as if debating on whether Draco's interest was genuine or a piece of a bigger puzzle. Apparently he came down on the side of trusting the blonde, which filled Draco with a bit of sentiment that he'd never own up to. Being trusted wasn't something he was used to yet. "One, I find myself in need of a new challenge. Most of the girls around here would turn out their knickers soon as look at them. I prefer something that takes actual effort," he said coyly, "a hunt. Two, staking claim to both Potters ex and Weasley's little sister in one fell swoop sounds like quite the prize to me. Third - and really most obvious Malfoy I mean open your eyes man - she is literally walking sex appeal. Can you honestly say you've never snuck at look at her in her quidditch leathers? I want to see what that body can do when it's not trying to slam me off my broom, and I really want to see what that mouth of hers looks like when the sounds coming out of it aren't curses foul enough to curdle milk. In short, Malfoy. I want her. And you are going to help me get her because that's what mates are for."

Draco didn't let himself look as stunned as he felt on the inside to here Blaise refer to them as mates. He'd felt like they were for the past year now, but he could never be sure and obviously he wouldn't be the one to ask. He was still pathetically new to legitimate friendships. He merely nodded his head and said, "You had me convinced at something to annoy Potty and Weasel. My services are yours." he ended with a dramatic flair. He had just taken back up his food when something else Blaise had said finally registered.

"Wait Zabini, what in blazes do you mean Granger is more my type?" he asked with legitimate curiosity, both at why he'd said it and what made her 'his type'. Blaise just gave a patented Slytherin smirk and returned to his meal, leaving Draco to wonder what in hell his friend was on about.

* * *

Hermione looked back at her plate just in time to avoid having to explain why she'd been staring. Though really if anyone had any explaining to do, it was Blaise Zabini about why he was pointing towards Ginny Draco Malfoy about why he'd tried to drown himself in his beverage. A silly metal image of a tiny Malfoy splashing around in a juice pitcher made her very nearly laugh out loud; she must be more tired than she'd originally thought to let her mind run away on such things. She shook her head and tried to refocus on the conversation around her. Ron was saying something to Ginny about trying out for the quidditch team again. _Oh just perfect, Ronald,_ she thought as she felt the red headed chaser tense next to her and saw Harry's eyes double in size behind his glasses. _Why can't you ever be a little more observant?_

Harry, ever the one to pull Ron's foot from his mouth, cleared his throat and said, "I think you should, Gin. The team really needs you. I mean the three of us make an unbeatable trio." _Ouch_ , Hermione thought, slightly stung by his wording. She knew he hadn't meant anything by it and yet she couldn't help but feel slightly replaced. It was true that she couldn't have cared less about the sport, but she hated feeling excluded. Her thoughts were soon driven from her head though when Ginny gripped her leg tightly. She and Harry rarely referred to one another, let alone spoke. Her friend was panicking and using Hermione as a grounding. She didn't mind though. It was much more desirable than being the one left out. At least Ginny still wanted her around. She patted the girls hand and it somehow gave her the fortitude to speak. "Sure, if you wouldn't mind," she said in a squeaky but steady voice. Considering it was the most they'd talked in the 3 weeks since the break up, Hermione was counting it as well done. "I'd love to try out again, there are so many new plays I wanted to try out..." and just like that, the conversation had gone from her again. She loved her friends dearly, but why couldn't they pick up a book once in a while?

She let her eyes wander the Great Hall for a bit until they fell on the the Slytherin table. In Particular, the back of a bright blonde head. What had he and Zabini been acting so strange about? He was Malfoy after all, so a certain standard of strangeness was always to be expected, but even he- _Malfoy!_ Godrics balls, how could she possible have forgotten? She looked at her friends, only one of whom had been at the meeting on the train, and said very calmly, "Malfoy is Head Boy." She felt more than saw the wave of disbelief wash over them as three sets of eyes swiveled towards her. It was, of course, Ron who found his words first. "Have they lost their minds? Malfoy?! You may as well hand the school over to dark forces now and be done with it." Harry looked contemplative, Ginny looked to be still absorbing the development, and Hermione... Well oddly enough, she found herself taking offense at his comments.

"Honestly Ronald", she chided, "Must you be so predictable? Give me one good reason he'd give the school over to whatever dark forces your mind has conjured. You'll do well to recall that his actions are the only reason a lot of us are here today." Severely uncomfortable coming to the Slytherins defense, but also some how unable to stop, she said, "Not to mention, it makes perfect sense that he'd be named head boy if you think about it. His marks are only second to mine, better than me in a few, and his disciplinary file is spotless. Honestly, I'm surprised it took us this long to piece together that it'd be him."

She sat there, a bit winded, while her friends absorbed what shed just said. Harry, to her surprise, was already ahead of her in that vein of thought. "Mione's right, it does make a lot of sense that he'd be chosen. It's just weird is all. I always thought we'd be on opposite sides. Not in like, the house cup or anything, but when it really mattered." Hermione chewed that over for a bit. It was true that when it had come down to right or wrong, Malfoy had been on their side. It was so at odds with the boy she'd grown to know in their early youth, that she momentarily couldn't process it. She was saved from needing to make any sort of response by the headmaster quickly standing and dismissing the students to head to their dormitories.

The eager first years practically sprinted towards their Prefects, and Hermione was glad that it wasn't a Head's duty to show first years around. She had no interest in making the climb all the way up to Gryffindor Tower just to have to come back down to whichever floor the Heads rooms were on this year. Given that the pair was a Gryffindor and a Slytherin, and they usually placed the rooms somewhere equidistant from their house common rooms, Hermione was guessing that meant 3rd floor.

She was walking in a comfortable silence with Ginny out of the Great Hall when she felt a presence by her elbow and one on Ginny's opposite side as well. The boys had caught up it appeared. "Look," she sighed listlessly, already looking forward to getting acquainted with her bed, "I don't have any more energy to talk about Malfoy right now okay Ron? You can resume your tirade another time." She heard Ginny's breath catch at the same time the boy by her side said, "No energy to talk about me? Surely I must have misheard you, there is always an energy reserve available for talking about me" Malfoy crowed, clearly pleased to have caught her talking about him. Before she could get a word in though, Blaise smoothly cut in with, "Or if you're truly talked out, I know of much more enjoyable activities to partake it. You only have to speak if you feel you can hold it back no longer." His eyes had dropped to Ginny's mouth during the last bit of his speech, and his voice had taken on a throaty quality. He wasn't... Was Blaise hitting on Ginny right now? Hermione, too tired to fully process what was happening, looked to the young man at her left, raising an eyebrow to seek confirmation. He Merely adopted a roguish grin that made her want to hit him. She rolled her eyes and was about to tell Blaise off when to Hermione's surprise, a retort came from the feisty redhead. "If I recall our last game correctly Zabini, there was only one of us who felt the need to cry out. Loudly, and a bit dramatically."

Blaise looked utterly shocked. Hermione knew he had a reputation for being a smooth talker and getting whatever witches or wizards he was interested in. It had unseated him to have Ginny so unmoved by his quicksilver tongue and innuendo. Sputtering a bit, he replied, "That's hardly- it wasn't dramat- You BROKE my arm, Weasley!" he almost shouted. Ginny simply raised a shoulder in an elegant shrug moved along with Hermione, leaving the Slytherin boys in their wake. When they were out of earshot, the two girls started furiously giggling. "Gin," Hermione said between gasps of laughter, "I think you may be my favorite person in the world right now." The younger witch grinned, saying something about having plenty of experience handling boys, then said her good byes and walked off to help her fellow prefect get the first years settled in Gryffindor tower. Hermione was still grinning when she met up with Professor McGonagall by the staircase.

Her amusement only doubled when she saw Malfoy approach, a wounded looking Blaise skulking off with a group of first years towards the Slytherin dungeons. She managed to stifle her laughter long enough to heed her teachers warning that there were many winding turns and that it was best to keep close. They headed off single file, Hermione sandwiched between her two companions, for their new accommodations on none other than the third floor. She allowed herself a bit of smugness at having correctly guessed the floor they were on, but it wilted quickly as they made what had to have been their tenth double back. "Professor", she said hesitantly, not wanting to question her mentor but also dying for answers, "Where exactly are we going, if you don't mind my asking?"

"Your rooms, Miss Granger. No more questions. WAIT!" the professor shouted suddenly, and unceremoniously shoved the young witch backwards. She was caught not my the floor, but by a pair of unexpectedly muscled arms banded securely around her midsection. "Walk much, Granger?" said a slightly annoyed voice by her ear, but the undercurrent of confusion and apprehension that mirrored her own stopped her from snapping at Malfoy. She was about to squirm free of his arms when it became evident why McGonagall had shoved her. The floor and ceiling where she was about to step had suddenly given way to open air, and from the gap came a torrent of ghostly shapes. Out of apparent instinct, Malfoy used his hold on her core to spin them away from the cleft and press her against the wall, effectively shielding her from the spirits. Hermione didn't know if they were school ghosts or more malevolent entities, but she had no interest in finding out.

The whole ordeal, from first shove to the holes closing back up, took all of around fifteen seconds. When it was over and the holes started to seal, she had to tap Malfoy on the shoulder to let him know it was over. He gave the corridor a quick once over before releasing her and moving to the other side of the hall. She wanted to thank him - he was Malfoy but he had acted in interest of her safety, that warranted acknowledgement - but he was immediately walking the few yards forward to where their transfigurations teacher was disentangling herself from a suit of armor. She held up a hand as Malfoy rounded on her and to Hermione's shock, Malfoy actually didn't start to badger her. After freeing herself and dusting the cobwebs from her robes, the witch motioned for them to continue walking while she explained.

"That," the witch said briskly, "was the river of souls. It is an awful name for what really is just an exaggerated water slide for ghosts. You'll find a book in the room on how to predict when it's coming and what you should do in the event that you become caught in it. Now, I know that these rooms are far from the beaten path but, well... The headmaster and I wanted to give you two a special dormitory to show you how much we appreciate all you've sacrificed and all you've been through in these formative years you've spent in our care. You'll see what I mean when you go in. The door is here" she said gesturing to a painting of a young couple ignoring each other, "The password is Hemlock. Let me know if you wish to move rooms, but I would ask that you give it the weekend to see how you like it." And with that, she was off.

Hermione looked at Malfoy, her long time tormentor turned wizarding world hero, the boy who was to be her partner this year and her flatmate. The boy who hadn't hesitated to shield her from possible danger... Hermione didn't want to dwell on it any longer. She cleared her throat and said, "Um, well... Thank you. For, you know. Well yes thank you." She stood a bit awkwardly as he searched her face for a moment and then nodded his acceptance of her thanks. "Well, shall we go in before Salazar knows what else tries to kill us?" he said, turning towards the portrait and stepping through after the couple deigned to accept the password. She stood stock still for a moment. She almost wanted to laugh, before she remembered who he was. She gave herself a good shake and then climbed through the portrait hole - only to run directly into a hard body. "Honestly Malfoy, must you stand in the wal-" she broke off at his silence and looked for what had drawn the entirety of his attention. And find it did she ever.

Their rooms were indescribable.


	4. Living Accomodations

**Disclaimer** **: I don't own the rights to the characters or anything related to the Harry Potter universe. Mores the pity.**

* * *

He knew that it would take time for him get used to physical contact that wasn't meant to harm or arouse, that simply just was. That's what holding Granger against the wall had been. There was no motive behind it, nothing either was seeking. It simply was. It had rattled him though, to be pushed so far from his comfort zones, first by that blasted river and then by her gratitude. Another thing he was still adjusting to. He had done some awful things in his past, and he'd like to think of his actions now as penance rather than something that warranted thanks.

Still, not wanting to argue in the state he was in, he'd nodded his acceptance and headed through the door. Only to find himself arrested mid step. He was aware of Granger running into him and briefly frittering on about something, but it was short lived as she stopped to take in the grandeur of their accommodations.

It was like nothing he'd ever seen before, like something from a fairy tale.

The portrait door opened onto a lush sitting room with two low couches running perpendicular to a large stone fire place. A cozy love seat was at the other end of the sofas, and a dark raw wood coffee table ran the length. Just before the fire, there was a foamy pillow pad covered in what looked to be the softest velvet. The small kitchenette held an icebox and a set of dark cabinets, a small sink and a two burner stove. He'd recently learned what a stove was through a muggle children's picture book, but that was no one's business but his own thank you very much.

The small dining table looked the size to fit four, and indeed four comfortably worn wooded chairs with soft cushions on them circled it. There was also a long window bench covered with throws and pillows that looked over a bit of the black lake.

The entire space seemed to be appointed in loamy earth tones. Which was entirely fitting because their room had a patio of sorts which encompassed a small densely wooded area. It was obviously of magical origins, no wild area would be able to survive in an enclosed room, but it was awe inspiring all the same. There was a small wooden deck and a stone path that lead to what appeared to be a spring fed hot tub. The everyday sounds of the natural birds and beasts of the woods played on, but it was almost like a soundtrack, because there were no living things in the faux forest. It was so surreal that he thought for sure he'd never break his gaze, until a small squeal from Granger pulled him from his wonder.

She had turned from the door that separated them from their private forest, and he now followed her line of sight to what had captured her attention so. The wall on which their portrait hole sat was not truly a wall at all. Every spare piece that was not an entryway had been converted into a massive bookshelf. There were great tomes palm sized fairy works, books made of paper and books made of thinly stretched giants skin with the words tattooed into the skin. There were volumes and novels and reference books. Looking at Granger, he thought she might cry.

He wasn't sure he could blame her.

Draco strode toward the bookcase and unpinned a note he'd noticed. It was addressed to the both of them.

 _Mr. Draco Lucius Malfoy Miss Hermione Jean Granger,_

 _I cannot tell you how glad I am to finally have you here. Professor McGonagall I specifically chose this room to act as your Head-quarters, if you'll forgive the pun._

 _After everything that has been asked of you, and all that you've willingly sacrificed in the name of what is good, please enjoy everything this room has to offer. The book wall is bespelled to have what you need. If there is a research text you need or a new novel you've been aching for, simply think of it and you'll find it on the shelves._

 _The kitchenette will always be stocked, though you are of course more than welcome to take your meals in the Great Hall. In fact, for my benefit, I'd ask that on school days you limit your lunches to the Hall. This room is thus that it would make you remiss to return to your studies after a good meal._

 _There are no creatures roaming the wooded area, though there are the occasional projections. You have nothing to fear from them. The spring will clean itself so do not trouble yourselves with it._

 _Relax, learn, fulfill your duties as Head Girl and Head Boy. Have a good year, students._

 _Sincerely,_

 _Albus Dumbledore_

 _Headmaster of Hogwarts School for Witchcraft and Wizardry_

He read the note once more, satisfied that he'd not missed anything, and passed the note to Granger saying, "Apparently these rooms are our consolation prize for being terrorized by an insane dark wizard for years. Who knew the payout would be this good?" he said snarkily, but his heart wasn't in it. She seemed to recognize this and with a laugh, she replied, "If I'd have known I'd get a bespelled bookshelf, I'd have conquered evil years ago." She had a nice laugh, if he was being honest. Not breathy or light like one might expect of a witch her size, but deep and unrestrained. It. was nice.

He left her to read the message and went to explore the rest of the rooms.

The bathroom was truly something of a dream. It had a toilet tucked into the front-most corner behind a wall for privacy. There were racks stacked with fluffy, freshly laundered towels and rags and baskets in which to place the dirtied linens. Convenient, Draco thought, as he had the awful habit of leaving his soaked towels on the bathroom floor for the house elves to gather. He suspected he wouldn't be getting away with such things now that he was living with the founder of S.P.E.W.. The back wall was almost entirely dedicated to the two glass enclosed shower stalls. The tiles of the stalls were multitude of serene blues and greens, and the glass was frosted for privacy. They were separated by a marble vanity with a large mirror and two wash basins, sitting atop a large cabinet that likely held their combined toiletries. They certainly had seen to giving them each their own amenities, he noted. Perhaps they were aware of the likelihood of their Head Boy and Girl refusing to share.

The only exception to the duplicity it seemed, was the bathtub - _the_ as in one - but what a tub it was! Nearly deep enough to be considered a soaking pool, the oval shaped tub was sunk into the floor and appeared to be made of some kind of smoothed obsidian stone. It was big enough to intimately fit two or comfortably fit one, and he couldn't help but think that he really could've used this after quidditch matches to ease his achy muscles.

The thought of quidditch made him wistful. He'd had to drop it last year due to all of his extra curricular activities both with Dumbledore and with Voldemort. Draco had been just exhausted and there was no way he could keep his balance on his broom let alone stay attentive enough to play seeker. Perhaps he'd finally be able to take back up the sport, now that he wasn't running himself crazy trying to save the world. Honestly he didn't know how Potter had done it all those years and still beaten him almost every game. He might've felt a grudging respect for the dark haired wizard if he and his ginger sidekick didn't annoy him so much.

Shit. He'd probably be seeing the wonder twins a lot more now that he and Granger were not only working but living together. He let out a sigh of the long suffering and went to look at his bedroom.

* * *

Once she'd tracked down the book about the River of Souls McGonagall had told them about, Hermione went off to explore her room. After the grandeur of the shared quarters, her room was a bit of a let down. It was perfectly nice and not unlike her dorm room in Gryffindor tower, save that she didn't have roommates. The four poster bed bedecked in burgundy and gold seemed quite comfortable, and the various bookshelves were already stocked with her personal book collection. Hermione mused that many would likely be surprised to see she had nearly as many novels as she did research texts. She may always have her nose in a text book, but that didn't mean she didn't like to lose herself in a good story too. There was a small writing desk and stool against one wall and a large armoire against the other where presumably the house elves had already packed away her clothes too. It seemed a touch ordinary given the rest of the rooms but by no means was it lacking.

"How you're meant to sleep in these obnoxious colors is beyond me" a drawling voice behind her said. Silently she cursed herself for forgetting to close her bedroom door behind her. She was exhausted and wanted nothing more than to relax, which didn't include verbal sparring with the Head Boy.

"Well how you're meant to exist with your obnoxious personality is beyond me as well so I suppose we're even," she quipped at him. "What do you want, Malfoy? We may be housing together but my bedroom is expressly off limits to you."

He gave a rather undignified snort. "As though I'd have any interest in your sleeping arrangements. I actually just wanted to see if you wanted to set some ground rules for living with each other. Seeing as how we've never had much cause to be around one another, I thought you might want to make boundaries clear."

She was tempted to say no just for the sake of arguing even though it was childish; she couldn't help that everything he said made her want to fight him. Still, It would be a good idea to get some rules laid down. She nodded quickly and motioned for him to lead the way into the sitting area. They took opposite couches and faced each other across the low coffee table. She almost laughed at how it reminded her of scenes in muggle movies where two negotiators would sit down at a board meeting to discuss the terms of an agreement. Merlin, she really needed some sleep, being this silly wasn't like her.

Malfoy cleared his throat and said, "Well fist things first, we'll agree on basics. No overly slovenly behavior, give each other warning if we'll be having more than one or two people over, no touching each others possessions, no entering the others room without permission. And just to satisfy any curiosity, mine looks nearly identical to yours though with a much more tasteful color scheme." She rolled her eyes at the jab but this all seemed reasonable so she dipped her head and he continued. "We have to both be comfortable living here so I propose we make an effort to keep anyone who hates you or I away from here if they can't behave." She quirked an eyebrow at that.

"Do you recall who we are? Who our acquaintances are? That's nearly the same as saying we seclude ourselves here", she said in a somewhat disbelieving tone. He couldn't really expect her to never have her friends over, and he knew their history. She couldn't imagine not taking advantage of the hot spring for a spa day with Ginny or listening to Harry and Ron crack jokes in front of the fire. Well, maybe she could imagine not having Ron there. She could still see him at meals and in class, and she could obviously still go to Gryffindor tower, but the hurt was still fresh for her and a small part voice in her head said that some distance might do her some good. Healing and all that.

He merely shrugged at her and said "I disagree. I'm sure you have a friend or two who can manage to keep civil and same goes for me. I'm not arrogant enough to try and make you feel uncomfortable in your own living space and I'm not accommodating enough to be made to feel that way myself. My friends don't have to like you but they're keep polite while they're here or won't be allowed back. I'll expect you to extend the same."

Giving a snort of her own, she said, "Well I don't expect you'll have very many visitors then. Can't imagine your lot would be too thrilled to spend time where your cohabitant is a mudblood." The slur still held a lot of hurt for her but she wasn't about to let him see that. She hadn't been looking at him but when she did, she found his slate colored eyes to be stormy and full of anger.

"Do not pretend to know me, Granger. I have spent the past few years learning who I wanted to be and who I wanted to surround myself with as opposed to just who was judged suitable, and I'll not have you standing in judgement of me and my friends based on years old assumptions made when we were children. Who is it you think I'm close enough with to invite here who would disrespect you like that, especially after the stunt I pulled last year? More over, when is the last time you ever heard me use that word, directed at you or not?" He was breathing slightly heavier now, and Hermione could do nothing but stare wide eyed as he dressed her down. "I am not the child I was, or even the young man I was a year ago. I don't expect you to know but as we'll be spending much of our time together, I will at least ask that you agree to my terms and reevaluate your stances instead of drawing conclusions without current evidence. Trust me, I spent years doing just that. It's no way to be."

For a few long moments, all she could do was stare. Had she really just been told off for her prejudices by Draco Snobby-Elitist-Prat Malfoy? And more importantly, had he been right? It was true, he wasn't the pointy faced git who'd called her a mudblood that he'd been. In fact, he was right again that she couldn't remember the last time he'd used the slur period or been directly insulting to her. He'd had plenty of confrontations with Harry and Ron and she;d just assumed herself to be in it as well since they were all a unit, but he hadn't actually said anything cruel to her since...Merlin since third year when she'd hit him. She felt her cheeks start to flame at the realization that she truly didn't know the boy, the near man, sitting across from her. She'd just accepted that he was a bigoted arrogant arse & hadn't given it another thought. Having always thought of herself as forgiving and aware of people's natures, she found herself a bit ashamed that she'd never even considered that he might've grown out of the prejudices he'd been brainwashed with since birth. And she should have, she scolded herself, as his actions had lead to the fall of Voldemort and his death eaters. Why would he do that if he still believed that someones blood status determined their worth as a magical being?

Hermione took a deep breath and let it out slowly. "I don't like you, Malfoy", she said in what she hoped was an even tone, "and I don't trust you. There's too much history. But you're right that I'm not really being fair to you in my assumptions. In truth, we don't know each other at all. I apologize."

He looked mildly shocked at her apology, but he just nodded his acceptance and that was that. "So, we're agreed on the ground rules? We can add more as they arise but they seem like a good basis for this"

She could barely believe that they had just had a discussion without yelling at each other, let alone had come to agreeable terms for their living situation. This truly was going to be a bizarre year, she thought.

"Alright Malfoy," she said, sticking out her hand to seal the deal with a shake. "We're agreed."


	5. Two Months And Then

**Disclaimer: I do not own the rights to the characters or anything associated with the Harry Potter Universe. Mores the pity.**

* * *

Considering their history together, Draco felt as though their first two months together had gone much better than anyone would have anticipated. Professor McGonagall had been pleased that they decided to stay in their enchanted rooms. The headmaster looked as though he'd expected nothing else, and Draco had to agree with him. Who _wouldn't_ want to stay in suite like theirs? A little trek was a small price to pay for it.

September had started rocky despite their agreement, with more than a few screaming rows and more than their share of sneering and door slamming. Draco acknowledged that he goaded her into arguments more than was strictly necessary but he couldn't help it; she was amusing when riled. After her birthday things simmered down a bit. He'd given her a birthday present that also acted as somewhat of a peace offering. All he'd done really was stay in his bedroom while she and her friends had a small party, but considering he lived there just as much as she did and had agreed to make himself scarce, they both thought it counted. And he'd allowed Weasly to attend, despite the fact that the oaf had earned a ban within minutes on the very first time he'd visited their dorm. Granger hadn't really seemed too put out by his exclusion but was appreciative of the one day pass all the same. Draco had thought she'd be more upset, weren't she and the Weasel King supposed to be an item?

Regardless, the next few weeks passed without _too_ much squabbling - they couldn't expect to behave all the time, after all. They saw each other briefly in the mornings for breakfast and in their shared classes, for Head duties, and occasionally in the evenings since both preferred to eat dinner in the Great Hall with their friends. They saw each other a bit more on the weekends when either he and Blaise or she and Weaselette were making use of their personal forest and spring to relax. Many of these such run ins resulted in he and Granger bickering while Blaise tried to seduce Ginny and wound up shredding himself on her sharp retorts instead. One of the more scathing wounds to his friends ego had come when he'd alluded to a sizeable manhood and the redhead had blatantly eyed his trousers before looking back up, decidedly unimpressed, and dismissed him entirely. It would've been amusing were Draco not too caught up in provoking his flatmate.

It was quickly becoming one of his favorite pastimes.

A few more calm weeks had passed before there was an incident with Pansy - involving her use of a particular slur and a retaliation from Granger that he himself was familiar with - that disrupted their calm. Pansy had tattled to Madam Pomfrey of course, and Granger had been given a weeks worth of detention to be served in the hospital wing. Pansy, much to her outrage, had also been given detention for using foul language. It meant Draco had to pick up the slack left in the Head Girl's absence but he couldn't be too put out. After all, it's not every day that one see's a girl fight unfold in their own common room. Draco had forbidden the girl from their rooms same as the Weasel had been. He'd watched in amusement as she huffed away, indignant at his refusal to protect her honor, and silently thought _Granger hasn't lost her swing I see_. He'd actually chuckled out loud at the thought, once no one else was in ear shot.

Things had gone back to their relatively calm state afterwards and had continued to this very day. It was Halloween night and he was readying himself to go to the party being thrown in Slytherin Tower. Anyone who was anyone was going to be there as his house was notorious for their ability to throw events that were talked about for ages. He hadn't truly been able to enjoy the last one which made him all the more determined to spend his last Hogwarts Halloween in true house style. For a costume, he'd gone minimal. Crisp black sacks and a black silk button down rolled to his elbows, new black leather shoes, and a half mask worked into a dragons likeness in homage to the his name sake constellation. He'd stopped gelling his hair back some time ago but he stilled fussed over it a bit. He knew many thought it feminine to do such, but Draco could never see what was wrong in taking pride in ones appearance. Just as he was giving himself a final once over, he heard an amused voice behind him say, "Don't you ever get tired of ogling yourself? Honestly, so fussy."

"Why yes, in fact I do. Come to take over the job for me?" he'd started to tease, but stopped as his breath caught. Granger was wearing a long, flowing dress that seemed to be a single piece of fabric with strategically placed knots and pins. Her shoulders and arms were bare save for a golden cuff wrapped around her bicep, and he could just see a pair of wrapped sandals peeking out of the bottom of her costume. He would've tried to guess what she was but he seemed to have lost the ability to think in the presence of so much unveiled honey colored skin. Luckily, Granger didn't notice.

With a small _hmph_ , she walked up to her vanity and began rummaging through her beauty products for something. "I believe you have quite enough people fawning all over you Malfoy, you'll be just fine without adding me to that roster" she shot at him, but there was no real bite behind the retort. In fact, it almost seemed... playful. Interesting. "And just what are you supposed to be then?" he managed to ask once his tongue regained the ability to shape words.

"It's obvious to anyone who knows their Greek Mythology, though I suppose that would be out of your areas of interest. Truly though, the chiton, the bare head, the peplos I have in the other room; It will be very clear to like minded individuals."

At the mention of Greek mythology, he had instantly guessed who she was. Fitting, too. "Ah so you're meant to be Athena then are you? Daughter of Zeus, Goddess of a million and one things. Typically depicted in a helmet though if without it she did go bare headed, which was uncommon of the time. Am I about right?" Draco asked with a smirk. He knew she expected him not to have any knowledge on mythology that didn't pertain to the wizarding world, and he was currently relishing the look of astonishment on her face. _Malfoy 1, Granger 0_ he thought smugly.

"Yes that's exactly right Malfoy. She's meant to be the goddess of wisdom, courage, strength, and skill, among many other things. Obviously, many of those things resonated with me. Truly I believe she resonates with many of the qualities of my house" she finished, slightly out of breath from her impromptu ramble. It was rare that Draco had a conversation with another witch or wizard who knew about muggle mythology, a subject he found truly fascinating. He wasn't sure if they were real or just stories made up out of the need to believe in a higher power, but those muggles sure knew how to weave intricate gods and goddesses. It was also rare for Granger to include him as like minded to her - non existent in fact. It had been inadvertent, but it counted.

She cleared her throat at the slightly awkward silence and said "Are you just about finished here? I scheduled us for the first patrol so that we'd have time to get back here before any of the parties get truly underway."

"Pays to have Head privileges, eh?" he said, and gestured to the doorway. "If you're done cornering me in the facilities, I'd be more than happy to start our patrol." He smirked at the annoyed eye roll she tossed his way and followed her out of the room. She stopped only to pick up her wand and a length of fabric he assumed to be the peplos she'd mentioned earlier. "If you're to be the virgin goddess of both arts and strategy, can I assume you'll be taking point on this patrol?" he said casually as they stepped out of their portrait hole. The couple in the painting,who seemed to always be at each other, were sitting on the same bench, both poignantly ignoring the other.

He almost missed the blush creeping up her neck as she mumbled, "Sometimes a costume is about being what you're not, Malfoy. Anyway, lets just get this done so we can get back. Ginny has strong armed me into letting her do my makeup and she may hex us all if we keep her waiting."

He made a mental note to tell Zabini to meet him at his common area before going to the party. After all, he had promised to help his friend in the pursuit of the youngest Weasly. If he knew her whereabouts in advance, he was duty bound to relay the information. He processed the rest of her statement and her barely there blush as they walked through the halls. Sometimes a costume is about being what you're not, she'd said. _Now what on earth did that mean?_ Which part of the goddess she portrayed didn't align with who she really was? Though he wouldn't say it to her face, he'd thought her costume choice was quite well suited. Granger was unquestionably brave and beautiful, and had one of the most strategic minds he'd ever encountered. She'd certainly proved as much last year with her planning of the final battle.

She couldn't have meant... did Hermione Granger just hint that she wasn't quite as untouched as the school thought her to be? Surely not. Even if she had given herself already, there was no way she'd even think of bringing the topic up with him of all people. True, they'd been more amicable as of late. He wouldn't go as far as saying they were friends but certainly toeing the edges of friendly behavior. Maybe she'd gotten a bit more comfortable around him than he'd realized?

Needing a change of subject, Draco said with a hint of teasing mischief in his tone, "You know, I do find something about your costume intriguing." She raised her eyebrow at him and simply said, "Oh?" in a clear request to elaborate. He obliged.

"Though it's widely accepted that Athena had no true mother, Zeus was said to have lain with the goddess of crafty thought and then swallowed her for fear she would bear an offspring more powerful than he, not realizing Metis had already conceived. One might infer that by emulating the daughter of a crafty goddess, you wanted to play at being a Slytherin for a night", he finished with relish. It was a bit obtuse but by no means implausible to those with a mind for carefully woven subtext. Draco saw her eyes light at the prospect of an intellectual debate, and then she proceeded to tell him all of the ways he was wrong about both her motivation and his mythology.

They carried on the conversation, and others in a similar vein. It wasn't an unpleasant way to pass the time, he noted. He'd long ago admitted her brilliance but he was just now learning how engaging a conversationalist she could be when they weren't having a go at each other. She never gave a boring yes or no, choosing to explain her opinions to make her stance clear. Similarly, she listened when he gave his views and opinions even if they didn't align with hers. _Not just listening to reply, but listening to absorb_ he thought. How remarkable.

Only once were they disturbed from what was turning into a rather pleasurable stroll. Two second years had thought to ally with Peeves and prank some of the older students, not realizing that Peeves couldn't be trusted as far as you could throw him. He was non corporeal and could in no way be thrown and thus could not be trusted, a fact that was proven by the sight of the two 12 year olds before him, hanging from the swords of the school statues by their undershorts. He barked out a laugh at their predicament and though the Head Girl shot him a quelling look, he could see the corners of her mouth fighting to contain her laugh. While she worked out a way to get them down without injuring the boys or damaging the statues, Draco took the opportunity to pen a quick note to Blaise telling him a certain fiery haired lion would be in the common room he shared with the bushy haired swot behind him. The note was in similar fashion to the ones used as interdepartmental memos at the Ministry, and he found them much more expedient than an owl if he just wanted to send a note inside the castle.

Once the second years were freed, soundly scolded, and both less five points for their houses, they headed back to their rooms to finish preparing for the night. Strictly speaking, Draco didn't need to return with her. He was already in costume and required no further primping. He could've just gone on to the party, leaving Blaise to the mercy of his target, and enjoyed himself.

He didn't.

Besides, he was already enjoying himself.

The flow of their conversation tapered off as they reached their portrait, though not in an awkward way. They had to repeat the password twice as the painted couple was now snogging each other senseless and looked very cross at being interrupted. They walked through the hole into a somewhat comical scene. Blaise, dressed as what he'd told Draco beforehand was a lion tamer outfit like those in the circus, was sitting at the dining table glaring daggers at Weaselette while holding an ice pack to his lap. Ginny was merely examining her nails, dressed as what could only be an Amazonian warrior complete with shield and faux (hopefully) sword strapped to her back. "Dearest Hermione!", the girl said with just enough false exuberance to put him on edge. He'd played against the girl, he knew she wasn't to be trifled with. "I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but Forest Tower seems to be infested with pigs. I've subdued one, but you really may want to look into and exterminator." It would seem Draco wasn't the only one able to pick up subtext in costumes, and it was clear she'd been less than thrilled with Blaise's choice.

"Forest Tower?" was all Granger said in return.

"Yes well, I decided your little hideaway needed a name and given the literal forest just outside that door, I thought it worked well. I was going to call it Wood Tower but that seemed a bit kinkier than polite conversation could allow" the younger witch said offhandedly. He felt the urge to laugh bubbling up in him and promptly pushed it down; couldn't let them think he was turning traitor to his mate by laughing with the girls. Still, he could almost admit that the sharp tongued redhead was growing on him and he could maybe see what Blaise saw in her.

Athena Granger grabbed the Amazonian Weasley by the wrist and after shooting Zabini a hybrid look of sympathy and _that's what you get_ , dragged her friend into her bedroom to finish getting ready. He vaguely heard her say "But it's not even a Tower" before her door fell shut. He turned back to see his friend giving him a warning glare. "Don't you dare say whatever you're thinking, Malfoy" his friend hissed.

"I wouldn't dream of mocking you for your ball busting paramour Blaise. That's not what mates do. She did hit you in the bollocks right? You're not just holding that ice pack because you get your jollies from temperature play are you?"

"Ha ha. Very clever", Blaise said around a groan. "She was none too pleased with my costume or my suggestion that we put the whip to better use, and my testicles got well acquainted with her knee. That woman is a bloody menace I swear. I don't know why I bother with this."

Draco inwardly rolled his eyes at the dark skinned wizard. This was precisely the reason he was pursuing her, for the fight. He told him as much. "Oh come off it mate, you love that she's not just rolling over and giving you what you want. If she'd just stripped down soon as you showed interest, you'd be bored with her by now." Blaise chuckled and nodded his head in admission, saying "While I'd much prefer her stripped down, I can't deny being attracted to her pigheadedness. I'm not ever mad that she kneed me, really. She played at willingness to get close enough to hit at me, and the look on her face was dead sexy. Once I stopped seeing stars, the look of satisfaction on her face was equally hot. Salazar's soul, she'll be the death of me yet."

He couldn't help but think it sounded like Blaise was developing actual feelings for the girl. Draco knew that their interactions weren't limited to when he was around, and it had been two months of this cat and mouse game. Was it possible that Zabini was falling for She Weasly? He would've inquired about it - and still planned to later - had the girls not come back out of Granger's room at that exact moment. He watched Blaise's reaction from the corner of his eye, heard the quick intake of breath and saw the open look of admiration on his face. It was true, she did look quite nice. She'd charmed her hair to flicker like actual flames and the glow from it cast dancing shadows everywhere and amplified her minimal makeup. Draco nearly taunted his friend for his reaction had he not done the same thing when Hermione appeared from the doorway next.

Somehow the younger witch had managed to make Granger's already dewy skin positively glow. There were highlights of gold accenting under her eyebrows and the inner corner of her eyes, and her lips had been darkened from their normally rosy red to a brownish nude color. Bits of her curls also shimmered gold giving her an almost haloed effect. Her peplos had been left behind, likely to her protest, and she stood before him entirely the goddess incarnate. He was speechless.

Ginny, looking entirely too full of herself, said "That is precisely the correct response. Here we stand, a goddess and a warrior. It's enough to render speechless any circus clown or... whatever you're supposed to be, Malfoy." She put her hands on her hips and dared either of them to disagree. Not that either of them would.

Blaise was torn from his study of her body long enough to say, "Circus performer I may be, but I am no clown. I am a lion tamer, my sweet. Care to learn exactly how I plan to make you purr?" He'd dropped his voice into a dangerous caress, and his eyes shone with a sort of predatory lust that made Draco feel like he needed a shower. Best to get them moving along before they started in. "Down boy," he told Zabini, "we'll miss the whole party if we don't get going now." Not to mention, he definitely needed to get away from Granger while she looked the way she did. He wasn't even ashamed to admit that, while always quite pretty, she was currently the most stunning woman he'd ever seen. It was incredibly distracting and he couldn't think about how to proceed if she was still in eyesight. He swung the portrait door open -

Only for be stopped dead in his tracks by that blasted River of Souls, which had chosen to open itself directly in front of their portrait hole effectively cutting off their only exit.

A chorus of unhappy cries went up behind him. "Granger," he said, focusing on the shapes in front of him as to not get distracted by her again, "I'm assuming you read the book on this infernal thing cover to cover. Is there anything it says about what to do in this specific instance?"

"Oh damn damn double damn!" he heard her exclaim, and turned around to look at her in surprise. Granger rarely ever cursed, so this must be serious. He was momentarily able to stare at her since everyone else was, but he managed to pull together enough focus to ask her what the problem was.

"I thought we'd gotten done in time, but it looks like the River has already started its Samhain ritual. Every year on this day, for twelve hours straight, the spirits ride the river in a sort of revel. There's no way to stop it or get around it, and if we touch it our souls immediately become riders of the river forever more" she said, sounding quite distressed but as though the recitation of facts soothed her a bit.

Blaise blinked once, twice at her, and then said, "So basically you're saying we're..."

"Yes, Blaise. I am saying until 9am tomorrow morning, none of us are going anywhere."

* * *

 ** _A/N: Ah, the river has a point! Someone asked me if it was just something I'd thrown in to initiate some physical contact between Draco and Hermione but nope! It will come up a few more times during the story. This chapter was originally a lot longer but I decided to cut part of it off and expand on it to be different chapter entirely. I wanted to be able to give the events of their Halloween night the detail it deserves. But that means I've already got 1/3 of the next chapter written, and I've already got the next 2 chapters mapped out in my head. So enjoy, and feel free to review!_**


	6. Samhain Secrets

**Disclaimer: I do not own the rights to the characters or anything related to the Harry Potter universe. Mores the pity.**

 _ **A/N: This chapter was originally part of chapter 5 but I decided to make it a separate chapter entirely so I could really flesh out the nuances between the characters. Also, shout out to the guest reviewer**_ **Beth** _ **for being dope! At this point**_ **Shaken** _ **has a whopping 6 reviews and 3 of them are hers! It's cool to know there are actually people taking this ride with me, and reviews are such a mood boost. Also, sorry about being late with this chapter. We have my husbands family visiting so things are a little crazy. Anyhow! Without further ado...**_

* * *

Hermione watched as three sets of astonished eyes swung towards her, momentarily struck speechless by her proclamation. Then they all erupted at once.

"What in bleeding hell do you mean we're stuck?!"

"But what about the party?"

"How sure are you about the damned river?"

"Granger, where's the book at?"

She only responded to the last question, gesturing to the desk in her bedroom visible through her open door. Seeing as how she didn't have any answers for Blaise or Ginny's questions, she stayed silent and watched the steady stream of souls blocking the doorway. She thought it looked more like a waterfall, and briefly wondered why it was called a river when it seemed to always be running vertically. _Waterfall of Souls_ didn't quite have the same ring to it, but it was much more fitting.

"Hermione, are you even paying attention?" a snappish female voice cut through her thoughts. She refocused on her companions, trying to see if she'd heard any of their questions. She was saved from answering by Malfoy coming back to the group. "Don't bother harassing her about it, it's not as though she can control the damn thing" he said, his voice tight with annoyance. "Granger's recall on the topic was perfect. According to this book, none of us are getting out of these rooms tonight if we want to remain among the living."

"A bit cryptic, don't you think Malfoy?" said Ginny. They stood around in an awkward silence for a few minutes, not really sure what to do with themselves now. It was their last Halloween at school. all of their plans had fallen apart, and they were stuck in a room with people they barely liked.

"Well," Blaise ventured, "it's not as though we can't still enjoy the night." At the eyebrows raised in his direction, he elaborated. "Look we're all stuck here anyhow, we may as well try to make the best of it. Besides, haven't the professors been droning on about inter-house relations and whatnot? And the two of you", he said gesturing towards Draco and Hermione, "live together, which means the four of us will be spending a lot of time together. It'd be much easier if we could learn to be friendly to each other."

Hermione looked doubtful, a look she saw mirrored on Malfoy's face as he said, "And what pray tell did you have in mind?" Blaise looked panicked for a quick moment, as though he hadn't expected anyone to be receptive to the idea and as such hadn't actually thought of something to do. He recovered fast though, his face smoothing into an impish smirk as he said, "Glad you asked, mate. Only the most tried and true method for getting past peoples walls and bonding them through shared embarrassment: Truth or Dare."

Before Hermione could even think, Ginny said "Oh game on, Zabini. Unless you and Blondie over there aren't up for it." At her challenge, something sparked in Blaise's eyes. He and Malfoy shared a look and after shrugging consent, said "We are up for any challenge, little lionesses." The look he gave her friend was almost enough to make Hermione feel dirty. All three of them turned to her then, clearly awaiting her response.

Of course, she didn't want to leave Ginny alone to play a risky game with the two Slytherins. And really, what else was she going to do tonight? Read and turn in early like every other night most likely. She knew that was how most of the school saw her, as a frigid bookish spoil sport who couldn't loosen up. Maybe a game of Truth of Dare would show them the other side of her, the part only her close friends knew. Oh, Harry and Ron certainly wouldn't approve of the two girls participating. _Ron_ specifically would hate it...

"I'm in," she said, enjoying the varying looks of surprise she got, "What are the rules?"

It turned out to be quite simple. They all sat in front of the fire on the soft mat, she and Ginny across from Malfoy and Blaise respectively, with a small tray between them holding a large bottle of Firewhiskey and four shot glasses. They would go around the circle taking turns. Who ever's turn it was would ask a person of their choice if they wanted to tell a truth or complete a dare, and then give a question or dare to them. If the person selected refused to answer or perform, they had to take a shot. Once they'd made it a full lap around the circle, they all took a shot. Since they were magical beings, they each cast a truth charm on themselves. Not enough to force them to answer, but enough to ensure that any answer they chose to give was truthful. The only dares off limits were daring someone to strip down to nothing (outer clothes were accepted but it had to be the persons chosen article) and daring someone to touch another person in a personal area. "That should be left to those willing", Blaise had said with a wink and provocative look at Ginny, who just curled up one side of her mouth and cocked an eyebrow in challenge.

It was Ginny's turn first, and she chose Malfoy as her target and then dared him to transfigure his mask from a dragon's likeness to that of a lion. He grudgingly complied, not wanting to back down on the first dare, but it was obvious he was not happy about it. It went much like that, with small confessions mixed through a slew of increasingly ridiculous dares. Blaise at one point had been forced to admit that he was afraid of clowns, Ginny had been dared to do a headstand while attempting to levitate something, and they were all feeling quite silly about halfway through the bottle. At one point, she found herself switching seats after Zabini has dared her to swap with him for the rest of the game. They all knew it was a shameless attempt to get closer to get closer to Ginny but Hermione hadn't wanted to refuse such a simple dare and accepted. Now Malfoy sat to her left, significantly less rigid than his normal state and wearing an easy smile on his face. He looked totally different, she realized, when he smiled out of actual enjoyment rather than mirth or sarcasm. Not a smirk or a sneer as usual. It was a rather pleasant smile truthfully.

They all took another shot and Hermione looked around at the circle of her peers, all sporting at least one outrageous item of clothing from a past dare. _I could see being friends with them_ , she thought. _They can be a lot of fun when they put their minds to it_.

It was now Ginny's turn again, and she looked theatrically around the group while tapping a finger to her lips and humming in faux contemplation. "Hmm, I think I'll go with... Zabini. Truth or dare?" she queried of the dark skinned wizard beside her. "Dare, little red bird," he said with a smile, "There isn't much I wouldn't do for you."

Hermione exchanged an eye-roll and a look of exasperation with Malfoy at his friends blatant flirting, but Ginny hadn't seemed to notice. She was engaged in a staring contest with Blaise. "Is that so?" she said, standing and making her way toward the patio door, eyes never leaving his. "Well in that case, I dare you to join me in the hot spring."

With her dare issued, she slipped out of the door and headed towards the aforementioned spring. Being nearly November, Hermione knew it had to be nippy in their little forest. Hopefully Ginny would get in the spring before she caught a chill. It wasn't until she heard a groaned "Salazar save me" and saw Blaise practically run out after her that Hermione realized the full implications of what was happening.

"Should we be concerned about what's going on out there?" she asked Malfoy. "She's not quite drunk but they're both a little... Uninhibited."

As though sensing her concerns, he said, "Don't worry, she's perfectly safe with him. He is a lot of things but he's not one to take advantage. We probably don't want to witness whatever they're getting up to but Blaise won't sleep with someone who's been drinking and may not be in the best frame of mind to make that call. Also I think Weaselette there is more than capable of handing him his arse if he tries anything she isn't comfortable with, tipsy or not."

She actually took some comfort in his words, trusting that he knew his friend and that Ginny could manage herself. How surreal to have her fears assuaged by her one time tormentor. "I suppose you're right, I just worry. Is the game over then? I'll admit I had my misgivings but this actually turned out to be a lot of fun. We may all become friends yet, Malfoy."

He snorted and said, "I'd like that, but I doubt your boyfriend and Pothead would be on board with you two _helpless females_ befriending a couple of Slytherins." She nearly laughed at how much sarcasm he pushed into the phrase helpless females, but the mention of Ron as her boyfriend had sucked the fun of the moment right out of her.

Inwardly she cursed herself for not being able to even hear an allusion to a relationship between her and Ron without being stabbed through with bits of longing, sorrow, resignation, and the tiniest bits of rejection. Why couldn't she just move on? It wasn't as though he was leading her on or showed any sign that their night together had an impact on his view of her. _Just let it go, you fool._

Malfoy, who she just realized had been studying her, slowly pulled himself up straight and set about pouring them both another shot. She felt a blush start to rise, hating how easily she got swept away in her thoughts and how clear the emotions played across her face. Hopefully he hadn't noticed, but she knew him to be perceptive. Damn.

"Alright then," he said, "if we're to be friends then I suggest we start calling each other by our given names rather than our sir names. How's that sound, Hermione?" She didn't want to admit it, but she liked the way he said her name very much. His mouth formed the sound almost as though reciting poetry and his rough voice made her name sound less odd and more exotic. She swallowed and looked him in the eyes. "Deal, Draco."

His eyes light up with something she couldn't place and that rare true smile took over again, transforming his features. When had he gotten handsome? His face was still all the planes and angles of his aristocratic breeding, but the sharpness had softened some and made him look less pointy, more regal. And the way his mercury eyes crinkled when he smiled like that... No, he definitely wasn't unpleasant to look at.

She watched as Malf- _Draco_ raised the two shots and handed her one. _Merlin that is going to take some getting used to._ "Cheers then, to new friendships. God knows our friends are certainly improving house relations out there. McGonagall will he thrilled." he said, and tossed the shot back. Hermione was glad she had already taken hers because she burst out laughing at the though of her head of house condoning whatever was going on in the hot spring as inter house bonding activities. For his part, Draco looked very pleased with himself for the joke and the laugh he'd wrought from her.

"Well, in the spirit of keeping the game going, I have a proposition" the blonde said. He looked a bit nervous to continue but carried on at her motion to hear what he had to say. "I propose that we both ask each other one meaningful question and we have to answer it wholly, along with any questions or clarifications asked about the answer. What do you say?"

Hermione thought about his suggestion. It was true that it would be a good way to foster a bond of friendship between them, and she did have one question she'd been dying to ask him for nearly a year now. And what could he really ask her that was so bad? She knew he wasn't of a bigoted school of thought anymore so it wouldn't be anything offensive. Surely it would be worth it to tell him what he wanted to know if it would get her answers.

She nodded, and his smile grew. "Splendid. Being the gentleman that I am, I'll even let you go first. Have at me, Hermione", he said with relaxed grace.

She swallowed hard, not really wanting to ruin the lighthearted ease but desperate to know. "What changed? For years, you were this bigoted hateful person. Even after third year, when you stopped saying the word mudblood, you were still so hateful. What could've made you change so much that you not only defied Voldemort but helped bring about his death?" she finished, slightly out of breath. She hadn't missed the color bleeding out of his face or the way he had flinched when she said Voldemort's name. She was more than a little remorseful to have lost the boy she'd spent the evening with, but she needed to know.

Hermione watched as he rubbed a hand across his face, took another shot, and took a deep breath that he let out slowly before speaking. "The answer if complex, but the short answer of what changed is... well, you." He loosed a mirthful chuckle at her confused expression and continued. "I was raised to think that you and those like you were garbage, disgusting, an infection on the magical world. I was told from birth that you had no right to your magic and that you were inherently, in every conceivable way, lesser.

"It wasn't until third year when you hit me - you have a wicked arm by the by - when I started to question things. I had come to know you a bit in our years at school and I knew that you were hyper logical, even if it meant detriment to your plans or yourself. I couldn't understand how someone so smart could get so angry about something that was supposedly fact. So I started to pay attention more, instead of seeing things through the rhetoric of my father. Little by little, as reality became clearer, the blood prejudice started to crumble. They just wouldn't stand up in the light of the truth, and I had to face the fact that I'd let myself be told what to think and how to act based on a lie.

"These realizations didn't come quickly though, and I was still acting more or less how I was supposed to because I wasn't quite sure if I was ready to leave everything I knew behind. I'm not proud to admit that, but it's the truth. Not that I could lie right now anyhow, thanks to the charms we applied." He sighed and was quiet for a moment, as if gathering some sort of strength to finish his story. Hermione had hardly been remembering to breath. She put an encouraging hand on Draco's shoulder and though he looked at the hand in surprise, he made no more to remove it. Perhaps he needed the human contact as much as she did to finish what needed to be said.

"After fourth year, when V-Voldemort returned," he stumbled over the name, and she squeezed his shoulder a bit in solidarity, "I knew I wasn't going to be able to do what was asked of me. My father wanted me to join the Death Eater ranks immediately. _As all Malfoy men should_ , he'd said. But you can't take the mark if you aren't fully committed. My mother saw my hesitancy, I think, and convinced my father to let me wait until I was older to take it. It's excruciating, and she said she wanted me to be a little bit older before I had to be put through it. In part I think that was the truth, and God knows she wouldn't have been able to take seeing me take it, but I also think... she saw the changes in me, saw that I wasn't the Pureblood Elitist her husband had raised anymore. In her own way, I think she tried to save me.

"Anyhow, fifth year was a nightmare. _He_ was living in my house and I dreaded going home, hoping that I wasn't going to be forced to do something I couldn't come back from. How could I maim and torture and kill people on the orders of a man I didn't follow, who's principles I no longer stood for? I was almost conscripted for the attack at the Ministry but Bellatrix said they had more than enough soldiers without bringing in children. I know you were hurt badly during a duel with Dolohov that night. I'm sorry I didn't come forward earlier and try to stop it. I could've prevented so much...

"But I didn't. I was a coward, and not just in that instance. I wasn't raised to be brave or do the right thing, I was raised to save my own sorry arse and be loyal only to my family. It wasn't until that summer, when my father was in Azkaban, that I made a decision. The Dark Lord gave me an assignment. I was to repair a broken vanishing cabinet in the room of requirements, and let the Death Eaters into Hogwarts. They were to do whatever damages they wanted, all of it to be a diversion as I completed the other portion of my task: Killing Dumbledore. I couldn't do it, I wouldn't, but if I flat out refused they would have killed me and my mother for disobedience. It was only again through her actions that I avoided taking the mark before returning for sixth year, saying it would be too easy to slip up and reveal it and ruin the whole plan.

"And I made the decision that night, to seek out whatever help I could find. As soon as the school term started, I went to Dumbledore. I spilled it all, every detail, and begged him that if he would just keep my mother safe, I would give him whatever aide he wanted. We hatched the plan and well, you know the rest." He let out a long breath again, as though a cumbersome truth had been lifted from his shoulders. "That's the first time I've told that story. But hopefully now you understand why I said you are what changed. If you hadn't shaken my whole way of thinking that day, I likely would have gladly gone along with whatever tasks I was given and never thought twice about it."

* * *

Draco stared at the brunette beside him as she processed all that he'd said. He knew it was a lot to take in. As he sat for long minutes and watched the gears in her head turn, he couldn't help feeling lighter than he could ever remember having felt. It had been an enormous relief to know that Voldemort was dead once and for all. It had even been a relief that he wouldn't have to deal with backlash from his father for his actions, though Draco couldn't deny the pangs of sadness in his heart when he thought about the fact that Lucius was dead. But now, having told his full story and to the witch who'd brought it all about, it was as though he could breath again.

Hermione finally turned towards him, apparently done considering it all, and curled her corners of her mouth up in a way that was slightly hesitant but true and even a little hopeful. Merlin she had a nice smile. "Well, though I certainly don't make a habit of resorting to hitting people, I'm very glad I punched you all those years back, Draco" she said with a quiet joy that didn't quite cover what he thought might be an undercurrent of sadness for him in her voice.

He felt a slow grin start to creep across his face at the thought that she might care enough to be sad for him. In all likelihood, it was just in her nature to be concerned for anyone with a hard story. It was nice all the same.

Hermione - it was going to take some doing to remember not to call her Granger - adjusted herself to lean against the couch they sat by and stretched her legs out in the same way he himself had. It was interesting to note that her feet only came to just below his knee. He knew he was at least 6 inches taller than her but her personality was so that it was often forgot how small in stature she truly was. He would never make the mistake to call her fragile (because he knew she was steel beneath her skin, and she'd probably hit him if he did) but she seemed so small when they're height difference was sat before them like it was.

Belatedly he realized that his staring might be mistaken as leering and averted his eyes. He felt a little blush start to form and inwardly glared his body into submission. Malfoy's do _not_ blush. He raised his eyes again and said, "So, was my answer to your liking? Did you have any other questions about it?" he asked.

"No, I think I've been thoroughly briefed", she said with that same smile she'd had. "Alright, your turn. You were very forthcoming with your answer so ask me what you want, I'll do my best to answer you correctly."

Draco swallowed hard, suddenly nervous. He had one glaring question he wanted to ask, obviously. But did he have the right to ask it? They were only just becoming friends, and it was certainly a personal question. True, he'd just spilled his soul to her about his life choices. _That_ was personal. But it had felt like a natural thing to tell her, and he felt she had a right to know seeing as how all the roads of his choices lead back to her and that slap. He had no right. But then, he was still himself. Asking inappropriate questions was part of his persona, and at any rate he had permission to ask them this time.

"Well," he started dryly, then swallowed again before he finished his thought. "What is there between you and Weasley? I know everyone assumes you'll end up together but you have never seemed to quite fit in that way, and since the start of term you've seemed a bit distant with him. I was just wondering what you are to one another..." he trailed off uncertainly and a bit out of breath. When he refocused on the witch beside him, he was horrified to see tears in her eyes.

"Granger I didn't- that is, you don't have to- forget it, it's none of my business." he managed to stammer out. He wasn't sure what reaction he had been expecting but it certainly wasn't crying. _Well done, Draco. Less than a few hours into this friendship and you've already made her cry_ he berated himself. Why couldn't he just keep his nose in his own affairs?

"No it's alright, I promise. I just wasn't expecting it" she sniffed. "As I'm sure you know, I'm used to boys who are much more..."

"Oblivious?" he said, trying for levity. She snorted and shook her head, so he supposed it worked a bit.

"I was going to say unobservant, but I suppose yours works too. And I won't forget it, it's only fair. Ron and I..." she started, and then took a deep breath as if steeling herself. Draco almost felt as though he ought to as well. "Well, I suppose there isn't actually a Ron and I. There is a me and my childhood crush I can't seem to let go of, and there is a Ron. I'm not actually sure when I started to have feelings for him, but one day I just...noticed him. He of course never noticed me. I could've walk in front of him starkers and he'd have thought I just didn't know he was there, probably help me find a blanket to cover up with."

He felt no obligation to point out to her that Ron definitely had noticed her, had been noticing her for years. She never saw it, of course, because Weasel was always careful not to do it when she was looking. But Draco had noticed, because he'd been watching. The redhead would look at Hermione with a mixture of longing and what was probably self recrimination. As thought he ought to have been ashamed of himself for noticing his best friend had a woman's figure behind her books and school robes. Draco stayed silent because he felt like she wasn't done with her story, and also he had no reason to help her gitty friend pull his head out of his arse. So he just listened.

"Over the summer, during one of the celebration parties the ministry threw, we had too many drinks and one thing lead to another and we-" she broke off with a little flush but then soldiered on with her story. "Well, we had sex. I thought it was going to be this culmination of all of these repressed feelings for both of us, but once again it was one sided. He was mortified, kept apologizing and telling me how he'd have never let it happen if we'd been sober. It hurt more than I care to admit. So I decided that this is the year I move on, stop holding on to the fantasies I concocted in my head. I suppose that's what you've been seeing when you say I've been distant with him - I needed the distance to start to heal I suppose", she said with the finality of someone who had finished their tale.

Unlike her, Draco had many questions. After confirming that they were still allowed to ask any questions, he asked, "Was he at least nice to you during? I mean to say, did he make it pleasurable for you? Do you think your friendship will be able to withstand something like this? Are you in love with him?" That last question he was a bit hesitant to ask, but he did it all the same. It was quite personal to ask about sex, but love was a level of personal all it's own.

He was pleased to see that she looked mildly scandalized by his inquiries, just before bursting out laughing at his boldness.

"You are impossible, you know that?" she laughed. He felt no small amount of male satisfaction in having brought a teary, somber girl to fits of laughter. "No, I don't think I am in love with him. I think you have to actually explore romantic together feelings before you can experience romantic love. I think he's just an embodiment of everything I thought I wanted. Strong, funny, guileless, loyal. But I've realized it's not going to work. We don't fit that way." He nearly started as she echoed his earlier thought back to him.

"And yes, I think our friendship will be just fine. He's already acting as if the whole thing never existed." He didn't miss the slight coloring of bitterness in her tone. No one liked to think they were easily forgotten. "And as for the other, he was nice to me I suppose but no, it wasn't pleasurable." Draco held his breath so as to not make her realize it was him she was talking to. He was sure that Hermione would never have told him these things, friend or no, if it hadn't been for the whiskey and the catharsis of talking about your problems. "It was over rather fast, and there was a lot of pinching. I know he didn't intentionally make it bad for me but I just remember being so deflated. Sex has been hyped up to be so wonderful, I might have let my expectations be higher than they should have been."

At that, he had to speak up. There were many subjects he could speak on with authority but this one in particular was one in which he was well versed. "Well, that's absolute shite. If there's one thing you ever take from me Hermione, let it be this: Do not have sex with anyone who does not put the effort into making sure you have the time of your life as well. You are beautiful, brilliant, and you have a good heart. You of all people deserve to have your pleasure respected by a sexual partner, and I demand you stand for no less" he finished in a perfunctory manner. He knew there were a thousand ways his words could be construed, but luckily it looked as though Granger had followed his intent. He wasn't being crude, he was just trying to give advice, as friends, on the standard she should set for how she'd treated. The thought seemed to make her happy, and she gave him a warm smile come grin.

"Thank you Draco, I'll take that to heart. And believe me, I highly doubt I'll ever be trusting my sexual pleasure, as you say, to Ron again."

"YOU TRUSTED MY BROTHER WITH WHAT?!" a screech behind them said. It would appear that Ginny and Blaise had returned from the hot spring.

Well, fuck.


	7. We Can Be Friends

**Disclaimer: I do not own the rights to the characters or anything associated with the Harry Potter universe. Mores the pity.**

* * *

"And you're absolutely sure you've left nothing out? I am one hundred and ten percent caught up, you swear it?"

Hermione was already nursing a headache from explaining what had happened between her and Ron (and from the firewhiskey) to Ginny. She was the only other person who knew about the ill fated crush on Ron so that bit didn't take much, but Ginny was relentless in her demand for details. Not that she particularly wanted to hear about her brothers' sex life but having six of them had done wonders at desensitizing her to it. "Yes Ginny, that's the full of it. We were slightly drunk, we had apparently bad sex, Ron unintentionally broke my heart the next morning and as a result I'm moving on. I have given you all of the details, even the ones I didn't want to give you. Can we please go to sleep now? It's almost five in the morning!" she exclaimed to the redhead sitting on her bed.

They'd changed out of their costumes while Hermione talked, having given Ginny some clothes to sleep in, and they were nearly ready to so to sleep so long as she was done being interrogated. Honestly she loved the younger witch but she was as bad as a dog with a bone when it came to getting every last seemingly extraneous detail of a story. It was exhausting.

Hermione rose to go brush her teeth and Ginny followed. "Yes well, you've stayed up much later plotting something or other with the boys, don't deny it. You'll survive. And as for the other, I'm not terribly surprised to be honest. I know you've been too far head over heels for him to notice but he didn't exactly come off as attentive to any girl he's been with." she said frankly. Hermione _had_ noticed in fact, but pathetically hoped that his lack of attention was because he was secretly pining for her. Not the case. She just shrugged in a noncommittal fashion as they made their way out of her room to the bathing rooms.

On entering, Ginny marveled at the amenities and made no less than four crude jokes about how many people you could fit in there. It was one of the things that she loved best about her friend. Ginny may have had an awareness of and mastery over her feminine wiles, much more than Hermione herself would ever have, but she was still a consummate tomboy. From the jokes and innuendos to her aggressive mannerisms and even her position on the quidditch team, it was abundantly clear that she'd been raised in a den of brothers. The two major personality factors on anyone else would have clashed, but Ginny managed to wear the juxtaposing traits with a natural ease.

"What on earth are you sticking in your mouth, Granger?" a voice behind her asked. The girls looked in the mirror to see two perplexed, bare chested boys looking back at them. Having a mouth full of toothpaste foam, she turned to Ginny and inclined her head in request to answer for her. "She's cleaning her teeth the muggle way. Her parents are dentists, like healers for your mouth, and that's how they take care of them." She felt a small glow of affection at being known well. She knew her friends loved her and cared about her, but she also knew she wasn't interested in many of the same things they were. It was nice to have Ginny easily spout off a fact about her and her parents.

"You are aware you have a wand, aren't you?" Blaise said, "You undoubtedly know the spell, why not just do it the witch way?" Hermione had half a mind to snap at him but his tone hadn't held any malice. In fact, he looked like he was just genuinely curious and asking a question. Like a friend would. It was going to take some getting used to, this befriending the Slytherins thing.

After rinsing her mouth, she said, "I didn't know I was a witch until I was eleven, and even then I didn't come to Hogwarts until I was nearly twelve so I still couldn't do any magic. It's just second nature to brush my teeth to clean them. Especially with my parents being dentists. I suppose it reminds me of them too."

Blaise took her words in with a head nod and made no further comments about it. Malfoy, on the other hand, chose then to speak up. "I can't imagine having grown up without magic. The concept seems so bizarre." Again, she could tell he didn't mean anything by it. But he was still Malfoy, and him saying anything about her muggle upbringing seemed to raise her hackles, innocent or no. "We didn't suffer from not having magic, Malfoy. It's not a lesser existence, just a different one."

He narrowed his eyes at her. Apparently trying to be friends didn't mean she would be spared his looks. Figures. "Stop twisting my words, Granger. If you'd like something to be offended at, I'm sure I can give you a legitimate reason. All you need do is ask", he said without much venom but plenty of snark. She turned around in to return his glare in full force. "Granger, is it? And here I was thinking we were on our way to being best friends", she shot back. "I guess a little heart to heart doesn't change the fact that you're a git."

"You called me Malfoy first, you'll recall."

"Listen to the pair of them squabbling like first years", Blaise said to an amused looking Ginny. "I think they're using their bickering to cover something else." Ginny just rolled her eyes and said, "And _I_ think you were much more appealing with your mouth shut or otherwise occupied."

At the spark in his eyes, Hermione belatedly registered the various states of undress they were all in. She was in a large ratty t-shirt of her dads and a pair of pilfered boxers she'd stolen from one of the boys during an impromptu sleep over at Grimmauld Place. Ginny was in borrowed sleep pants and an undershirt. They boys were both bare foot and bare chested, wearing only sleep pants. Honestly, what was it with teenage males and their lack of propriety? Not that Hermione hadn't seen her fair share of boy chest. Having two male best friends and all of the Weasley boys as companions, she'd become accustomed to it. Still, she was annoyed. How hard is it to put on a shirt before you come into common areas?

Not wanting to see Ginny tear Blaise apart, or worse engage with him, she grabbed the other girl and walked towards the door. "Come on, Ginny. Let's leave the boys to their half naked sleep over." Ginny sniggered and made to push past the two standing in the doorway. She may have pushed a little too close to Blaise, but Hermione ignored it. She'd be getting that story before they turned in. Malfoy on the other hand actually made room for her to walk through. It was just common courtesy, but she felt the guilt forming at having started their little tift.

Bollocks. Why couldn't she just keep going? With an inward eye roll at herself, she turned back to where they stood. "Goodnight, Zabini. Goodnight... Draco."

She turned and walked through her bedroom door too quickly to see the surprise that flitted across his features, and just barely heard "Goodnight, Hermione" before her door closed. "You know, I don't think I've ever heard him call you Hermione", Ginny said as she snuggled under her side of the bed, "Never thought I'd see they day the two of you would be friendly."

"Yes well, inter-house unity and all that." She chuckled as she put out the lamps and crawled under the covers. "As much as I hate to admit it, the game did make it easier to get along with them. They seem more... human now. Now that we've seen behind the veneer." She turned her head to eye Ginny suspiciously, but the gesture was lost to the near total darkness of the room. "Speaking of seeing people in a new light, care to tell me what all that was with Zabini tonight?"

She heard a short laugh and then, "I'm not sure, just felt right. You know we've been dancing around each other for months now, since school started back. And he is quite resilient. I throw everything I've got at him and he still keeps coming back for more. It's refreshing not having to curb my nature just to avoid hurting someones feelings. Merlin knows I was in love with Harry since first I saw him but he's much more... sensitive. Not in a bad way, and of course he is with what he's been through, but I always felt like I was muting myself to avoid hurting him. It's the main reason we didn't work out, I think. I couldn't be myself so I couldn't fully give myself. Well, I did but you know."

 _I was muting myself to avoid hurting him._ That was a concept Hermione was intimately aware of, she realized. Wasn't she always avoiding answering questions as to not make Ron look bad, always having to stop herself from correcting him even though he was so, so wrong? Maybe that's why Ron never saw her the way she saw him. Maybe he could tell that she wasn't fully being herself with him and took that as disinterest. And maybe that was for the best, because how could she really be with someone if she couldn't be one hundred percent of herself? Hermione felt herself let one more little piece of her crush go, and while she was happy because it meant she was healing, she mourned it all the same in the fashion of all lost first loves.

"Well," she started after a deep yawn, "I'm happy for you if you like him, Gin. He's not so bad, for a smarmy Slytherin. You could do - and _have_ done - worse. Now can we PLEASE go to sleep? I'm absolutely worn out." Ginny giggled and said, "Yeah, he's not so bad is he?" She gave a sound that was half contended sigh, half curious hum, and said, "Night then, Mione. Best Halloween ever."

Hermione just smiled to herself and said, "Night, Gin." Silently, she agreed.

* * *

"Would you stop walking around with that mooney look about you? It's rather annoying."

Blaise grinned at him. "No, I don't think I will. I have just had the best date of my life and I didn't even get her bra off. I'll keep my look, thanks." Draco wasn't in any mood to deny his friend the joy he found, he just liked being difficult. He said, "What's that? _She_ invited _you_ to the hot spring and you still didn't get any farther than some soggy snogging? Either you're losing your edge or she's a much harder target than you'd anticipated, mate."

"I think both are true." Blaise said frankly. "I don't want to use my old tricks with her, hell I don't want to trick her at all. I want, no I _need_ , this to be as much for her as it is for me. I don't know when it happened but I want all of her. Obviously I want her in my bed. Or the quidditch pitch. Or one of the many shadowy alcoves around school..." he trailed off, lost in his smutty thoughts until Draco threw a pillow at him. "What? Oh right, as I was saying. I don't just want her pinned beneath me. I want to accompany her on Hogsmead trips. I want to walk her to class, not that she'd let me. I want to be the one she tells about her day. It's not like I didn't know already but tonight made it that much clearer. I do believe I'm going to ask Ginevra Weasly to be my girlfriend." he finished with a surety that sounded final.

Draco marveled at his friends ability to so blatantly state his feelings, to acknowledge them in the first place. How could he just say hey, I like this girl, she should be my girlfriend? Draco had of course had female companions before, and he'd had one girlfriend though he didn't necessarily count Pansy. They'd been shagging somewhat regularly 5th year and she just stuck the title to herself one day and he didn't care enough to correct her. It wasn't as though he had anyone who he was pursuing who'd be hurt by their involvement, and certainly neither of them had demanded fidelity. Didn't Blaise know that opening your heart to someone like that was a recipe for disaster? Draco could never see himself giving someone else that kind of power over him, the power to destroy him. He felt it was his duty as a friend to say, "You sure about that mate? Two months ago you said it was your mission to bed her and now you want to date her? Seems a bit like you're thinking with your pants and not your head."

"Can you give me one good reason not to date her?", Blaise asked back.

"Well for starters, she's Ginny Weasly. She may not be the Gryffindor Princess like Granger but she'd still loved by all of them so the minute you two get in a fight or you fuck up, they're all going to be after you", Draco said. And it was Blaise, he was going to fuck up at one point or another. "She's worth whatever backlash I catch for being with her." Zabini said, unconcerned with his possible future bodily injury.

"She's got a veritable army of brothers, plus Potter and Granger, for you to contend with."

"She seems to manage them just fine, I'm sure I can do the same." he said with that same surety. "Besides I think Granger is coming around to me. She didn't threaten to hex me all night. Well, that one time, but I couldn't resist! Merlin's sake she had on pants big enough to fit all of us, the joke practically wrote itself." Draco laughed at that. One of Hermione's dares had been to play a round with her costume transfigured into clothes big enough to fit Hagrid. He could sympathize with Blaise's need to ask _is this your way of trying to get me in your pants?_ but also didn't begrudge Hermione the ice cube she hurled at his friend that smacked him square between the eyes. The whole thing had been good spirited and rather friendly. So maybe Blaise had a point there as well.

"Well, there's always the fact that she's been with Potter, in all senses of the word, and I'm fairly certain she was in love with him for years. Those are big shoes for the next bloke to fill." He really wasn't trying to rain on Blaise's love parade but he wanted to be sure his friend was going into this with his eyes open.

"What, and I'm so chaste? I'm hardly as hypocritical as to expect her to be virginal when my sexual past is about as colorful as a that concoction Finnegan managed to brew last week," Blaise said looking mildly insulted. "And as for Potter..." he sighed as though this was one possible problem he wasn't so sure about. Draco regretted bringing it up. "I know she loved Potter, loved him since she was ten if you can believe it. She dated other blokes but it always came back to him she said. But then when they actually tried to make something of it, they didn't click. She said it was like all the pressure from years of wondering and longing, and everyone and their bleeding aunt thinking they were "meant to be", made it more than it really was." To Blaise's credit, he only sounded slightly bitter about her having loved Potter and only a bit smug at them not working out. "But she doesn't feel that way about him anymore, and if tonight was any indication then she and I are on the same track. I've got to at least try. Salazar knows I'd kick my own arse if I gave up the opportunity to see if I could have something more than a meaningless fuck with a girl like her."

Draco could hardly believe what he was hearing. Blaise sounded half in love with the girl already; Clearly he'd put more than a little thought into the matter. It was also clear that he was looking for support, not opinions. "Well, I wish you luck then mate. Let me know when you need my help." Draco said as he turned out the lights and settled in his bed.

"So," he heard the disembodied voice of Blaise say, "what exactly happened while we were in the hot spring that put you and Granger on a first name basis?"

"Sod off, Zabini. Go to sleep or I'll stun you."

* * *

When Draco rose the next morning, bleary eyed and in dire need of a cup of tea, he stumbled out of his room in time to see Weaselette leaving through the portrait hole. He supposed that meant it was after 8am and that damned river was gone. Good riddance. Following the sounds of a kettle, he turned toward the kitchenette and got an eye-full of Hermione's upper thighs. She was stretching to reach a tin of tea on a shelf just out of her reach. Draco shuffled over, grunted at her to move, and easily plucked the tin from its shelf. "Merlin you're short. You may want to invest in stilts. Maybe spring sold shoes." he grumbled at her. He was by no means a morning person. "Or I could just transfigure you into a step stool. Seems much more enjoyable. Now, are you going to give me the tea or are you hoping to absorb some caffeine via osmosis?" she asked him in a still sleep rough voice. It was kind of cute, even if she was using far too many syllables for the time of day it was. He lifted the tea tin that he was still holding hostage and said, "I'll hand it over if you'll make me a cup as well."

She rolled her eyes at him and snatched the canister from him, indicating to the three cups on the counter. "How uncivilized do you think I am? Obviously I'm making tea for everyone, assuming Zabini isn't still drooling on your sheets." It would seem she wasn't much of a morning person either. He rather liked that he got to see the less than happy and helpful, pre-tea Hermione. It was good to know she could be more than one thing.

"I don't drool" said a raised, scratchy voice from beyond Draco's open door. It was followed by a still half unconscious Blaise who was zombie shuffling towards the bathroom while Draco said, "And he wasn't sleeping on my sheets." Hermione quirked an eyebrow at him and said, "What, would sharing a bed with your friend make you question yourself? Latent homosexual panic and toxic masculinity will do you in every time." she said matter-of-factly. Presumptive bint. "I am very comfortable in my sexuality, thanks much. I won't share a bed with Blaise because he kicks like the hounds are after him."

"And I don't kick!" came another protest from zombie Blaise, who had finally reached the bathrooms. Apparently he wasn't appreciative of the attacks on his sleeping habits. "Tell that to my bruised legs!" Draco shouted back, and heard distinctly uncomplimentary mumbling come from his friends direction before the door swung shut. Hermione laughed and he turned back towards her to watch as she finished preparing the tea. "Speaking of legs, yours aren't half bad. Where on earth have you been hiding those?" he said.

She fumbled with the sugar tongs and turned to glare at him. "Well, since neither of you two can be bothered to put a shirt on, why should I bother covering up? I live here just as much as you do." He frowned at her. It was obvious that her sudden attitude change had come from an inability to take a compliment and not a discomfort at his state of dress, but he was annoyed all the same. It was just an observation, why did she have to get so bent over it? He'd never understood being insecure about your looks when it was an obvious thing. "Granger, I'm hardly calling you a wanton harlot for wearing sleeping shorts around your own living space. Wear whatever you please. If it makes you uncomfortable for me to comment on your legs, or for me to not wear a shirt in _my_ own living space, just bloody say so." he said back to her, clearly agitated.

It was too damn early for this. And he still hadn't had his tea.

She blushed a furious scarlet and it did a bit to diffuse his mood. He wasn't trying to embarrass her but neither was he going to cave to her mood swings. She had the Wonder Twins for that. Hesitantly, she sat a cup of tea in front of him. He went to grab it but she still hadn't released it. He looked up, about to tell her to relinquish the beverage before she lost a limb, when she said, "Hermione. At least here, I want you to call me Hermione. None of my friends call me Granger. And I'm... sorry. I didn't mean to snap at you. I've never been good with compliments, even casual ones. So... well, yes", she finished somewhat awkwardly.

He felt the corners of his mouth quirk up. He hadn't actually expected her to apologize, or take what he'd said into consideration. And really what with the company she kept, not to mention their own antagonistic history, he should have known she wouldn't take well to a casual observation of her person. "We're both new to this, between the two of us at least. I'm sorry if I made you uncomfortable. And I'll work on it, Hermione." A pleased grin spread across her face and she nodded her head before bringing the rest of the tea to the table.

Remembering something she'd said earlier, he took a sip of his life giving beverage before asking her, "What's osmosis?" She turned and looked at him with a puzzled face. He elaborated, "When I was ransoming the tea tin, you said something about osmosis. What is that?" Understanding filled her features and she cleared her throat. It was a mannerism of hers that he realized preceded a lecture. At least he finally had tea.

"I always forget that for all of the magic in the wizarding world, we are woefully behind on scientific education. Osmosis is the process of matter, commonly liquid, passing through a semipermeable membrane like skin. Think of a flower petal sitting on top of dyed water, absorbing enough that it's completely saturated. You couldn't actually absorb a tin in that way obviously, but it's a sort of hyperbole - that is to say, an exaggeration."

"We know what a hyperbole is, Granger." said a redressed Blaise, who had joined them during her explanation. "Even us poor backward magical folk take language courses." Hermione rolled her eyes and pushed his cup of tea towards him. His face perked up and he said, "I take back everything I said you wonderful woman, you. Feel free to prattle on about your muggle science even at this ungodly hour."

Her eyes flitted between the two Slytherins sharing a table with her, a questioning amusement written in her eyes, and asked, "What time do you think it is, exactly?" Both he and Blaise shrugged and guessed somewhere around 9. Her smile turned into a full blown smirk. "Try 1:30pm. In fact, the Hogsmead trip starts in about an hour." Draco started at her words. "1:30? Bugger me Hermione, why didn't you wake us?!" She shrugged coyly and said, "We agreed not to enter each other's spaces, Draco. But feel free to use the facilities, I've already had my shower. Blaise, you might want to hop to if you're going to make it on time. You still reek of firewhiskey."

He mumbled something about bossy witches and downed his tea before heading out. Stopping at the portrait hole, he turned and asked, "Granger, my little red bird will be in Hogsmead, yes?" She eyed him suspiciously and said, "She's not _your_ anything Zabini, but yes, Ginny is going. That's why she was leaving earlier, to get ready."

"She may not be my anything now, but that is a situation I aim to rectify soon. Just do me a favor, be near Honeydukes around four o'clock yeah? Thanks, you're aces!" Zabini said as he ran out of the door to hurry and get changed. Hermione turned her confused face toward him and said, "Do you have any idea what he's on about?"

For someone who harbored a crush for years, she sure was unobservant when it came to affairs of romance. Draco just gave her a knowing smile, finished his tea, and left the confused witch to her cup. He had to get ready to help his mate land his girl, it would seem.

* * *

 _ **A/N: Hey guys! Sorry for the late update, family is still in town. After rereading this, it felt a bit like a filler chapter but I promise, it's setting the scene for a lot of things. I was going to include the Hogsmead trip in this chapter but as the chapter played out, I realized it would be best just to give the trip it's own chapter- or at least a healthy portion of the next one! Hope you guys like it, feel free to drop a review and let me know what you think. Enjoy!**_


	8. A Healing Kind Of Hurt

**Disclaimer: I do not own the rights to the characters or anything associated with the Harry Potter universe. Mores the pity.**

 _ **A/N: Hey yal, just wanted to address a few things before we get started. Firstly, sending me messages demanding updates or being mad when I update late will not, contrary to what you obviously believe, make me update any faster. All it does is make you look like an asshole. I even contemplated updating with this chapter late just to be spiteful but it wouldn't be fair to the other readers. The only reason I'm even addressing this is because one such message had a question (kind of) that went along with an observation reviewer**_ **4fanci** _ **made (not lumping you in with them, promise lol).**_

 _ **Yes, I said that I did not want to rush things. This is a Dramione fic but I want anything between them to feel organic. Of course after living in close quarters and working together as Heads for two months they're going to start noticing each other. They are heterosexual teens. It's bound to happen. Doesn't mean they're gonna jump in the sack a week later. Also for those who question their ability to be friends. 1)Why are you even reading this then? and 2) They are using each other, and the friendship they're trying to form, as support in their otherwise chaotic lives. Draco defied Voldemort, betrayed his father who's now dead, and has flipped virtually everything he's ever known on it's head. Hermione is dealing with Ron's rejection, the stress of needing to prove herself, and feeling like an outsider in her own friend group. Trying to work out how to befriend someone they'd previously despised is a WONDERFUL distraction, don'tcha think? And having someone reveal, under a truth charm, that you were responsible for changing their outlook on life and very possibly the outcome of a war is bound to make you more open to friendship.  
**_

 _ **But I digress. Thank you to everyone who reviewed, I love hearing your feedback! Hopefully you're enjoying this as much as I am.**_

* * *

3pm November 1st found Hermione sitting in a booth at the Three Broomsticks with her three closest friends. The first snow of the season hadn't come yet, but it was chilly enough to have them all happy to be indoors with their hands wrapped around their steaming mugs of hot cocoa. Hermione scooted closer to where Harry sat, trying to steal some of his warmth. Harry laughed and threw his arm around her, rubbing quickly up and down her arm to generate some heat as he said, "Hermione, how is it you're always so cold? It never fails. Once the temperature drops, you never seem to be warm."

"I know, I can't help it!" she said as she reveled in the warmth the friction created. "I love this weather though, even if I can never manage to keep thawed. It'll be even better once the snow comes in." She smiled at the thought. Snow was one of her favorite things. It wasn't officially winter in her mind until the first coating of snowflakes blanketed everything in sight.

"We know, Mione. You and your obsession with the first snow," Ron said with friendly affection in his voice. Hermione expected to feel the warmth she'd felt when Ginny had talked about her parents, but instead she felt a little stung. Ron knew how much the first snow meant to her, and she didn't appreciate that he would talk about it as though she were a child they let indulge in delusions. "It'll come soon enough", he said again in that voice that she now perceived as a bit condescending. Logically, she knew she was overreacting and that her emotions were just a side effect of being this close to him, in this weather she just knew was laced with magic.

In the past, she'd imagined them much as they were now except that the girls would be in opposite places. _Ginny and Harry would have their heads close together and it would have been Ron who rubbed her arm to warm her up, leaving it there afterward because he liked how she felt pressed to him. They would wander around Hogsmead a bit, losing the couple somewhere along the way, and find themselves alone near the edge of the village just as the first snow started to fall. Hermione would spin around in elation and when she stopped and faced Ron, he'd have a look of love so deep etched across his features that people all the way back to school were bound to see it. Then he'd take her in his arms, gently brush her hair back from her face, whisper her name, then kiss her sloppily with too much tongue, knocking his teeth against hers..._

Wait, what? No, that last bit hadn't been how her fantasy had played out at all. Fantasy Ron had been an excellent, passionate kisser. Her mind, it seemed, was melding together what she'd hoped would happen with what actually had. Real Ron had been drunk and sloppy, more concerned with getting their clothes off than engaging in the act of kissing her. Hermione supposed that should have been a sign for her. She knew that when you loved someone, kissing them for the first time was something you wanted to commit to memory forever. It wasn't something you did as a placeholder until you could manage all the buttons of your outfit. But she'd been too blinded by her feelings to notice his lack of them. She supposed that could be said for this whole mess of emotions she was in. She was so blinded by what she felt that she deluded herself into thinking he might maybe feel something for her as well. And that hurt more than most all of it.

"Hermione? Helloooo, earth to Miss Granger. Oi, focus!" Hermione jerked back to the present to find all of her companions looking at her expectantly; it was clear they'd been talking to her. She blushed and said, "Sorry! I was lost in my own head. What were you saying?" Her friends smiled indulgently and Harry said, "We were asking how your Halloween was. Ginny told us about getting trapped in your room for the night with Malfoy and Zabini, but she appears to have been confounded because she's telling us you had a fun time. So we'd like the story from someone who isn't mental."

Harry nimbly ducked the spoon Ginny had thrown at him, grinning at the redhead while she mumbled things like "sodding seeker reflexes" and "show you mental". It was nice to see them interact like they used to, before attempted love had gone and made a mess of things. _Story of my life._ "Actually, I'm with Ginny. It was a bit awkward at first but it actually turned out to be a lot of fun. Blaise is pretty funny when he's not being a prat. And while I don't think we'll be braiding each others hair any time soon, Malfoy wasn't that bad either. We're even trying to be friends, for real this time. We learned a lot about each other last night."

Ron eyed her suspiciously. "You sure you're Hermione? I mean, this is _Malfoy_ we're talking about. Zabini, well we never had much interaction with him so I can give him the benefit of the doubt. But Malfoy? No way. How could you want to be friends with a prejudiced arsehole you punched just a few years ago?"

"I hit the boy who called me a mudblood and laughed about Buckbeak's execution. The young man I live with, the one who opened his eyes to his prejudices and then betrayed Voldemort giving Harry the opportunity to finish the war, is not that boy."

Ron had the grace to look a bit ashamed. He often chose to overlook Draco's involvement and contributions to "their side". It was much easier for him to not have to change his views of people. "He's still a git though. Honestly, I don't want you to be friends with him. He can't be trusted even if he isn't evil" and Hermione heard him mutter _anymore_ under his breath.

"I will be friends with whomever I please, Ron. You are one of my best friends but that's all and as such, you have no say in who I associate with." she said with a _hmpt_ and a look daring him to argue any otherwise. It was the first time she'd made any allusions to the possibility of them being anything more or to the night they'd shared, and even the very veiled mention of it made Ron simultaneously pale and blush, quite the feat. He went from peachy to parchment colored with red flushes on his cheeks and ears. _Well at least he hasn't forgotten_ she thought. That would hurt no matter how she felt about him.

"Ron, mate, are you okay?" Harry asked his stunned looking friend, but Ron was cut off from answering by a high pitched female voice. "Harry, Ron, there you are! Oh, and Hermione and Ginny as well. I didn't know you'd be joining us." said the confused and slightly pouty voice of Lavender Brown. Behind her stood Hannah Abbot, looking at the small group as though she was unsure what to do. Ron finally spoke up and said, "Sorry Lav, we must have lost track of time."

Hermione took in the slightly panicked look on Harry's face as he realized that the girls had no idea what was going on. Then she looked at the two newcomers and everything fell into place. Oh, Godric. They were about to go on a double date while their ex girlfriend and and ex whatever were still at the table. She thought she might throw up.

Ginny thought faster and smoothly stood, forcing Lavender to back a bit away from the table or be knocked over. "We aren't joining you, wouldn't dream of it. Hermione and I are actually on our way out, aren't we Mione?" Ginny said, giving her a slight nudge with her foot to get her going. "Goodness is it that time already?" Hermione tried with what she hoped was a steady voice. "We'll leave you all to it. Have fun, you two. Come on then, Gin." Ginny smiled and waved goodbye to the boys before turning back to the interlopers, her smile taking on a brittle quality. She could just be heard saying "If you hurt my brother again, I'll make it my personal mission to let everyone know you have inserts in your bra" as she passed by Lavender. The blonde flushed a bit and crossed her arms protectively over her chest but said nothing in reply. The girls grabbed their coats and scarves and were off.

After a few minutes of wandering the shops, Hermione said, "You really are awful sometimes you know. Lavender probably won't stop worrying about that threat for weeks." Ginny only looked a little guilty as she said, "Oh you heard that did you? Well, she deserved it. You remember how awful she was to Ron after they broke up the last time. Of course he said your name, you're his best friend. They'd only been together a few weeks! But no, the vindictive little twit paraded boy after boy around in front of him just because she could. Maybe I should tell everyone anyway, as payback for that."

Hermione tried not to let it sting that Ginny too had assumed that Ron hadn't said her name out of unexpressed romantic notions; after all, it was the truth. "I actually expected your threats to be towards Hannah," she said to change the subject, "Since she was obviously there for Harry."

Ginny shook her head and said "No, if she can make Harry happy then I'm all for it. We're finally getting to where we can be friends again and I wouldn't let him dating someone come between that. He's still important to me, just not like that." At the mention of dating, Hermione realized she was forgetting something. "Oh Merlin Gin, what time is it?"

"Just about four o'clock, why?"

"I said I'd have us at Honeydukes by four! Blaise wanted to talk to you, seemed pretty serious. I for one would love to know what was so important that he made me promise to have you there, so shall we go?"

Ginny let a very school girl smile spread across her lips and the smallest of blushes creep into her cheeks. Obviously, she was interested as well. She nodded her head and the girls hurried over to the candy shop, stopping only long enough for Ginny to give her reflection a once over in a large window. Hermione was trying to remember if Blaise had said in Honeydukes or by Honeydukes when she heard a smooth male voice say "Well, there you two are. Took you long enough." It was impossible to mistake Blaise's voice and now that she actually looked, he was hard to miss himself. He had on a very nice looking black overcoat on over a grey sweater and tan slacks. He looked rather dashing as the color scheme of his clothes set off his complexion brilliantly. Hermione knew this was likely intentional and made a point to compliment Blaise on his styling sometime in the future. When he wasn't looking at Ginny the way he was now.

Next to him, leaning against a light post, was Draco. He had on a 3/4 length black wool coat, a black sweater, black slacks, and black leather shoes. The monochromatic outfit was simple yet perfectly tailored and of a fine make. It was the kind of outfit that screamed wealth without needing to be flashy. Hermione thought all the black was rather sever with his coloring but it did showcase his bright blonde hair and stormy eyes very nicely. Perhaps she'd compliment him as well. _Stormy eyes? Since when are his eyes anything but grey?_ She wondered to herself as he unhitched himself and joined the small knot they were forming on the street corner.

"Well hello to you as well, Zabini. Always so well mannered. Hello, Malfoy." Hermione greeted the boys. It was still strange being friendly with the them but it was getting easier with each encounter. It was especially easier to get along with Blaise when she saw the smile he brought to her friends face, like the one Ginny was currently trying to smother in favor of a haughtily raised eyebrow.

"And what if we are late?" Ginny said after a nodded head of greeting to Draco. "Were you going to leave?" Blaise shook his head softly and said, "Haven't you given up trying to shake me yet little red bird?"

"I'll give up when you do."

"We'll be playing this game a very long time then," Blaise said happily. "Come walk with me? I want to talk to you. Our chaperones can tail us if you'd like." Ginny laughed and looked to Hermione for confirmation that she'd be alright alone with Malfoy for a bit before saying "Well, let's go then" and starting down the path not looking to see if Blaise was following or not. When he made to go after the younger witch, he was stopped by a wand poking slightly into his kidney. "She likes you, Blaise. Do not hurt her. She might've broken your arm but I can inflict damage even the healers at St. Mungo's won't be able to undo. Are we understood?" Hermione finished in the same conversational tone in which she'd first said hello, though there was no missing the steely conviction in her voice. Ginny wasn't the only one prepared to do awful things in defense of her loved ones.

Wisely, Blaise looked her full in the face before saying, "I have no intention of hurting her, but we are crystal clear Granger." Satisfied with his answer, she lowered her wand and let the fire in her eyes fade out as Blaise jogged to catch up with Ginny. She turned when she heard Malfoy chuckle and said, "What?"

"They say we're supposed to be the dangerous ones - Slytherins, Death Eater parents, males - but you and Weaselette are the only ones who are making threats or throwing blows."Hermione was tempted to slap him upside his head for the look on his face, but that would rather prove his point then wouldn't it? "I'll have you know that I only resort to physical violence when provoked." She said to him. "You had it coming and you know it, and if Blaise mistreats Ginny then he'll get what's coming to him as well."

"Temper temper," He said teasingly. "Who knew Gryffindor's were such hotheads? Oh wait, everyone."

Hermione could hardly believe she was standing on a corner in Hogsmead with Draco Malfoy, poking fun at each other, while Ginny was wherever she was with Blaise Zabini. How time's are changing. "So, do you know what it was he wanted to talk to her about?" she asked, leaning against the wall he now stood by to get out of the way of other shoppers. "He want's to date her, exclusively."

"He what?"

"Date, Hermione. It's what some people do sometimes when they're interested in each other and want to spend more time in the company of one another."

She swatted him on his shoulder and said, "Obviously I know what dating is you prat. My surprise was at the 'exclusively' bit. I was under the impression that Blaise didn't... tie himself to one person, to put it delicately."

"Did you just try to politely call Blaise a whore?" Draco laughed. Hermione turned rosy red while he continued, "You're not wrong, he certainly has slagged around more than his fair share of the student body," a suggestive wiggle of his eyebrows earning an eye roll from Hermione for the cheap innuendo, "but he says it's different with her. And I really don't need him to say it to see that it is. He hasn't so much as chatted up another boy or girl all term. He's quite smitten with the She Weasel. It's a bit pathetic, really."

"No, it's rather sweet actually. And simple, she needs that. She rather likes him too you know. Maybe they'll be good for each other." Hermione said hopefully. Ginny was a wonderful girl who was quite happy without the presence of another person, but she deserved to be with someone who'd make her happy. "And trust me, you don't know the meaning of the word pathetic." She laughed at herself.

Draco, interest piqued, turned towards her and said, "Oh? Do tell." She considered saying nothing but... How long would it take to get over Ron if she never verbally acknowledged the parts of their "romance" that she fabricated all on her own. And anyway, it felt good to let it out. Plus, they were working on being friends, right? She smirked at him and said, "Last year in potions class, do you remember brewing the Amortencia and how it smelled like the person we had the strongest feelings for?" He nodded. "When I smelled it, it was things that reminded me of Ron, obviously. When he smelled it, he said it smelled like roses, honey dust, and cherry lip gloss. I hate roses, I have a box of honey dust that hasn't been touched, and I despise wearing lip gloss. And yet somehow, I managed to convince myself that he might've been smelling me, in whatever twisted way I concocted."

Draco stared at her a bit, thankfully without any pity on his face, and then said _hmm..._ "Hmm what?" Hermione demanded. "Oh just that you're right," he said neutrally, "That really is pathetic."

She glared at him, prepared to be outraged, but when she opened her mouth it wasn't a scathing tirade that burst forth. It was laughter. Loud, bellowing laughter that caught the attention of many people on the street. They all seemed a bit perplexed to see a grinning Draco Malfoy pressed nearly shoulder to shoulder with a Hermione Granger in the midst of a laughing fit. "It is isn't is?" she said ask she tried to catch her breath. She was clutching her stomach and still had tears in her eyes from laughing so hard. He was the only one who would've been bold enough to plainly agree with the nature of her behavior, and some how having him point it out made her see herself clearly for the first time if years. "Oh Merlin, how could I have been so blind? I'm supposed to be rather brilliant." she laughed at herself.

Draco, still grinning, said "Well, mistakes build character or so I've been told. Live and learn and all that."

"Yes I suppose you're ri- oh bollocks!" Hermione broke off as she saw Ron and Harry headed towards them, each with their date on their arm. This was going to be interesting to say the least. Just before the boys arrived in front of them, she whispered follow my lead to Malfoy. She had no way of knowing if he'd heard her or if he'd play along, but they were out of time.

"Hey! Done with lunch already then?" she said to none of the group in particular. She was watching Ron's eyes dart between her and Draco, obviously trying to figure out what was going on. "Yeah, figured we'd have a stroll about the village before we have to head back," Harry said warily, "what about you?"

"And where's Ginny? How'd you wind up with him?" Ron added, not bothering to hide the sneer when he acknowledged Draco. "And a pleasure to see you too, Weasel. Good to know you're keeping those manners sharp. Granger and I were just discussing the prefect patrol schedules for the next few weeks."

"Yes," Hermione jumped in, thankful for Draco's quick thinking, "We've got to rearrange some things to fit some reformed study groups and such. And Ginny is with another of the prefects picking up some snacks for the next meeting."

"Which prefect?"

"I didn't ask. Honestly Ronald, she's sixteen years old. If that was old enough to date Harry then it's certainly old enough to run a few errands unattended." She knew she was being snappy, and she felt bad about the wounded puppy look forming on Ron's face, but she hadn't been prepared to feel the stab of jealousy she was experiencing at seeing Lavender practically hanging off of Ron's left arm. Harry, seeing the situation deteriorating and trying to help, said, "Do you want to walk with us, Mione? You're more than welcome."

Harry, sweet stupid Harry, didn't see the turmoil on all thee girls' faces. Lavender didn't want her to come because of what had happened last year. Hannah likely didn't want her date to be more worried about his female best friend than her. And Hermione didn't want to go for so many reasons.

Once again, Hermione was saved by Draco's quick thinking. She silently thanked whatever part of his upbringing that had made him so perceptive of the people around him. "Actually Potter, Hermione here has already agreed to accompany me to choose some new stationary for our official bulletins, seeing as how she'll be using it too. Head duties and all, you know. We'd best be off before we have to head back." He said, looping Hermione's arm through his and starting to make his way towards the shops down the way. She gave the boy's a quick wave goodbye and turned away, though not before she heard Ron say "Hermione? What's he playing at, calling her by her name?"

Once they were out of sight, she let out a deep breath and said, "Thank. You. You've no idea how awful that would've been."

Draco said, "I had a hunch. Also, not to rub salt in any wounds, but I did notice that the Brown bint was wearing about a pound of reddish lip gloss and smelled cloyingly of roses and honey..." He still hadn't let go of her arm and she was grateful for the small strength it offered because she hadn't noticed. Her knowledge of Lavenders beauty products, gained from rooming with the girl for six years, ran through her head. Rose perfume she made herself. Shimmery honey dust she practically coated on. Cherry lip gloss that was charmed to never make your hair stick to your mouth. It had been Lavender he'd thought of when he smelled the love potion. It had _always_ been Lavender.

Groping for a change in topics, she asked him what the Amortencia had smelled like to him. If he noticed the small catch in her voice, he politely ignored it. "To me it smelled like fresh parchment, a good heavy kind, Hastings #307 black ink, and something I can''t quite place. It's got hints of Jasmine but there's something more to it. I've never been able to figure out what it was."

"Well, Mr. Malfoy. You'll just have to find your love and ask her what it is, won't you?" Hermione said back to him. Feeling a bit lighter. She was still hurting, definitely. Seeing Ron and Lavender together and then her realization had left her a bit raw, but it was a necessary pain. You can't clean a wound if you don't remove the scabbing, right? And even then, the antiseptic can burn. She needed this burn if she ever wanted this pain to go away.

Deciding she'd done enough cleansing for one day, Hermione shoved all other thoughts out of her head and focused on searching the village for Blaise and Ginny. Both she and Draco were praying that when they found the pair, they still had their clothes on.


	9. Can't Catch A Break

**Disclaimer: I do not own the rights to the characters or anything associated with the Harry Potter Universe. Mores the pity.**

* * *

The rest of the Hogsmead trip had been rather enjoyable. They actually had gone and purchased some parchment, just in case someone asked, and then strolled around the village looking for their friends. They'd found the newly minted couple snogging furiously against a tree near on the outskirts of the town and made them go buy snacks for the next prefects meeting, again just in case. As they'd made to head back towards the school, Ginny had squealed, "Hermione, look!"

Draco had looked up to see that snow was beginning to fall but wasn't sure why the red head was making such a fuss until he looked back at Granger. Her face was full of some sort of personal joy he'd never seen on her before. She was watching the snow stick to branches and their persons with such enjoyment that Draco almost felt guilty for watching her. It seemed improper to watch someone who may or may not be aware of the raw emotions they were exuding. She closed her eyes and turned in gentle circles, face upturned that she might catch snowflakes on her cheeks. It was a rather beautiful sight if he felt like admitting it.

Hermione stopped her revolving and opened her eyes to look at him, a childlike grin splitting her face. What on earth was she so happy about? Draco couldn't think of a reason to be so excited over weather but he also couldn't see one reason to rob Hermione of her joy. Slowly, almost reluctantly, he grinned back. He couldn't help but think he'd never found Hermione Granger as enticing as he did now, wind chapped and grinning like a fool with snowflakes caught in her wild tangle of curls. There had been other time's he'd noticed her of course. He wasn't blind. She'd been stunning for the Yule Ball, and Halloween had been... well, she'd looked gorgeous. But he still found Granger in her natural state the most appealing, and right now she was enchanting.

The spell was broken when she bent down, scooped up some snow, and hurled it at him. It wasn't solid enough to truly classify as a snowball and as the slush hit his neck and slid underneath his collar, he regretted being so distracted by her and his strange thoughts. He attempted to shake the cold wetness from his shirt as he said, "You'll pay for that one, Granger!" and engaged all four of them in a full on slush fight. The Gryffindor girls were relentless and refused to accept the Slytherins surrender. They only stopped when they were all winded and soggy. A few quick drying spells, a warming bubble around all of them, and a quick rest, then they headed back to school. It looked like they might be a bit late but Draco felt sure that they'd be excused if they used the supplies they'd bought as an excuse.

On the walk back to school and the trek to their rooms, Hermione talked. He'd known the witch to be very tight lipped about her personal life and he was absorbing all of her stories eagerly. She told him of her love of the first snow and the magic she felt it held. She told him different stories through her years of special memories she'd made in the snow. Then she told him of how she'd always thought the first snow would coincide with Ron pulling his head out of his arse, but how today had been even better than that. He'd noticed only a little wistfulness in her voice and was glad for her. She was slowly healing, he knew. He was also secretly very pleased that she now had such a fond memory in which he was one of the main characters. Merlin knew she had enough awful ones with him.

When they'd finally got to their door, the couple in the portrait informed them that they'd had two visitors while they were gone. They hadn't given their names or left a message, and they hadn't had the password, so eventually they'd left in a huff. Hermione had rolled her eyes and said Potter and Weasley had likely wanted to interrogate her about her time in Hogsmead spent with Draco. They were both exhausted from the impromptu snow fight so despite it only being 9:30, they both decided to turn in after a quick sandwich and cup of tea. As they'd made to their rooms, he'd heard Hermione call his name and turned to look at the sleepy eyed brunette across the hall from him. "Yes?"

"I just wanted to say thank you for today, I had a lovely time. It was nice to not have to hold anything back and to discuss something other than quidditch. I'm very glad you wanted us to be friends," she said, and turned to go in her room. He hadn't stopped her, but he stood in his doorway starring at where she'd been for a good five minutes. "Me too, Hermione. Me too."

They'd both slept until nearly ten the next day and neither bothered to get dressed, deciding a lazy Sunday was in order. Hermione had wrapped herself in blankets on the window seat and immersed herself in some book she'd had the bookshelf conjure, while Draco decided to soak in the hot spring. Since their forest was meant to mimic the actual weather there was snow coating everything, but the warmth of the spring meant Draco could enjoy the view without freezing his testicles off. He'd come back in and been amused by how wrapped up in her book Hermione was, and more than a little surprised to see that it was a romance thriller novel she was reading. Not at all what he'd pictured she'd read for leisure.

The day came and went and before he knew it, they were back in class. The teachers had all apparently decided they hated their students and he had no less than three scrolls due in each subject by the end of the week, on top of their class work. It was a nightmare, especially when topped with he and Granger both having to pull four extra patrol shifts. One of their prefects had come down with a bout of nymph pox whilst partaking in questionable activities and was therefore unavailable. He'd laughed at the thought of Terry Boot being caught by Hagrid shagging one of the wood sprites in the Forbidden Forest until he realized it meant more work for him.

He and Granger barley saw each other all week except for in classes Slytherin shared with Gryffindor. However anytime he caught her eye, she'd smile at him or give him a friendly wave. It was still bizarre to him that she did anything other than sneer at him but he wasn't complaining. It wasn't until Thursday night that the two of them were actually able to have a conversation again. Draco had originally been scheduled to take the 9-11 Tower patrol with Terry but now it was Granger beside him. Decidedly better company.

"Merlin I feel like I need a vacation after this week from hell," she said as they climbed the stairs towards the Astronomy Tower. They'd already caught two fourth years snogging behind a statue and one first year who'd been dared to spend the night in the owlery but had become absolutely lost. They'd taken more points from the students than was strictly necessary but after the week they'd had, neither was feeling particularly forgiving. Bad day to be a Ravenclaw. Draco grunted his agreement and trudged ever upward. "Who's bloody stupid idea was it to put classrooms in towers anyhow?" he grumbled. "And why not just block them off at night?"

"You're just moping because you're still sore from the walloping Ginny ad I gave you last week, admit it," the Gryffindor teased.

"In your dreams, Granger. I just hate these stupid stairs. I'm liable to turn them into stairs on our way down. And besides, Blaise and I let you win. It wouldn't do to have us beating girls now would it?"

"Oh come off it you git. We beat you, just admit it. Actually I don't need you to admit it. I was there. Also, you called me Granger which is something you only do now when we're in public or you don't want to admit that I'm right. So there." She finished her monologue just as they pushed open the door to the Astronomy Tower, sticking her tongue out at him and proceeding to look for anything out of place.

"Fine fine, you won. You caught me by surprise and your partner definitely cheated with how she distracted Blaise, but you won. Happy, Hermione?" he drawled s he joined her at the railing of the towers edge. The wind was biting but they were both bundled up so they could enjoy the view.

"Quite."

He rolled his eyes and leaned against the railing beside her, taking in the grounds. Everything truly did look amazing with a coating of snow. The moon was high and set everything to glistening under it's shine. After a few moments, he became aware of Hermione's eyes on him. He wondered what she was looking at. Should he draw attention to the fact that he'd noticed or just let her look? What exactly do you do when you realize someone is staring at you but you don't particularly mind? In the end, he said nothing and just stood at the railing for a few minutes, the only noise coming from their shared breathing and the soft howl of the wind.

"We should probably head back down now." he said without looking giving her a chance to act like she hadn't been staring at him. "Right, let's." she said.

They made their way out of the room and shut the door, locked once more in darkness and torchlight. "It was lovely in there. I have to agree with you about the snow." he said as they came to the head of the stairs.

She looked at him with appreciation, and a glimmer of mischief, and said, "Well I agree with you as well, Draco." That was all the warning he received as she transfigured the stairs beneath their feet into a massive slide and they both went speeding downward.

* * *

Hermione was laying on her side on the floor at the base of what was once again a staircase. She tried desperately to catch her breath but that proved difficult when she couldn't stop laughing. Every time she opened her eyes and saw Draco laying a few feet from her, groaning and as disheveled as she'd ever seen him, a fresh wave of giggles would overtake her. By the time she regained some composure and some air, Malfoy was propped on his elbows glaring at her. "Granger. First a slush attack and now you send me hurdling down four stories? Are you actually trying to kill me? That's quite rude of you." His serious eyes and scolding words were belied by the smile she was sure he didn't know he was wearing.

She pushed his thigh with her foot and said, "Loosen up, Draco. Laugh a little, it's good for you."

"Laughing gives you wrinkles."

"Then I'll be wrinkled and happy. I know you enjoyed it. I heard you laughing."

"I did no such thing! My attempted murder doesn't strike me as funny."

She rolled her eyes at his half arsed protests and sat up to inspect the damage she'd done. Draco was ruffled and dusty but no worse for the wear. She on the other hand had managed to hurt her ankle, how was anyone's guess, and if she had to figure she'd say she'd gone and busted her lip open as well. It'd have to wait until she got to a mirror though as she couldn't heal it without seeing what she was doing unless she wanted it to scar. Draco stood and offered her a hand up which she took, grateful for not having to put her full weight on the ankle yet. As she rose, he took notice of her injuries and said, "Shit you sure managed to bang yourself around there, didn't you?"

"Yes well, it was worth it to hear you scream like a first year," she said to the blonde still holding her arm. She froze when his hand reached forward and tilted her chin up, angling her face better into the light.

"I can't do much for the ankle but I can fix the lip. Hold still," he said, and pulled his wand from where he'd tucked it in his robes. If someone had told her this summer that she'd be perfectly at ease with Draco Malfoy pointing his wand in her face, she'd have laughed herself sick. As it was, she just stood still under his ministrations, feeling the familiar tingle of healing magic on her lip and the not so familiar tingle of a boys hand touching her face.

She wasn't blind. She knew Draco was good looking, very good looking. In fact, she'd been helpless but to stare at him when they'd been on the tower. It wasn't just the companionable look of ease on his face, though that was certainly worthy of study. No, she'd been inexplicably drawn by the way he looked by the moons light. She normally found pale skin to be a bit sickly looking, but on him it looked as though he'd been carved of smooth marble. The shadows and planes of his face, played up by the moon to artistic heights, had caught her totally unprepared. She counted herself lucky that he hadn't been paying attention to her because she'd been blatantly staring at him the whole of their short rest.

Now, with his face near hers and his hand gently gripping her jaw, she couldn't help but be effected. Having an attractive bloke touch you was bound to set some things in your stomach to fluttering, especially if your love life was as limited as hers had been. There was a bit of sadness mixed in too though, because she'd always thought it would be Ron to touch her like this. Godric she was getting tired of that thought. It was _never_ going to be Ron. He didn't want her like that. And she... she didn't want him like that either, she realized. Somewhere along these past few months, she'd let go of her feelings for him. There was still the sting of disappointment and the hurt feelings that come with rejection, but she no longer wanted Ron in any romantic way. Even the jealousy of Lavender earlier had been more about what could have been than any current feelings.

She was drawn from her musing by the feeling of a finger ghosting across her lip where the split had been. She shuddered involuntarily at the sensation and Draco looked a bit regretful as he said, "Sorry, I know that was probably weird. I just wanted to make sure I'd gotten the skin back together properly. All done." Hermione brought her hand up to where he'd just touched, confirming that he's done a wonderful job and there likely wouldn't be any sort of scarring. "No sorry, you just caught me by surprise. Lost in my head and all. Thank you, it feels like you did excellent work. Shall we be going? It's already 11:15."

She made to walk towards the corridor that would lead to their dorm and made it all of one step before she cried out in pain and nearly fell. _Forgot about the damn ankle._ Luckily, she was saved from face planting by Draco catching hold of her arm once more. "Come on then, cripple," he said, tucking her arm into his to take some weight off of her injured limb. "We'll take care of that once we get back home. Ice is good for swelling, right? Or is it heat..." He trailed off, trying to remember treatments for sprains, and Hermione marveled at him. He truly was changed, and now he was almost fussing over her. It was rather endearing.

"How have you been?" he asked her, "We haven't seen much of each other since Sunday. This is what friends do right, ask about the each other's lives?"

"I've been running myself ragged, honestly. I just seemed never ending this week, not like you don't know. I imagine you're feeling about the same."

"You're not wrong. Though I don't have to deal with Potter and Weasel on my case, so I'd say I'm doing a sight better than you. I heard they lost their minds over Zabini and the She Weasel going public, that had to have been quite the show." And indeed it had been. She told him about how she'd been in the library with the boys working on some homework when they'd seen Ginny enter, hand in hand with Blaise. Harry had been content to glare at Blaise but Ron lost this mind.

 _"Oi, Ginny! What the hell do you think you're doing?" Ron yelled at his sister. "Well Ron, as you can clearly see, I'm in the library to check out a book. My boyfriend decided to do the gentlemanly thing and escort me. Don't be dense."_

 _Ron went red and started a shouting match with Ginny. If they didn't shut it soon, they were going to get kicked out of the library and there would be hell to pay for it. Things started coming to a boil when Ron looked over his sister's shoulder and said, "Are you going to let a sixteen year old girl fight your battles then Zabini?"_

 _"She's my concern, not you. If she wants to be bothered with you, that's her prerogative." Blaise had replied coolly, still holding Ginny's hand._

 _Hermione interjected before it came to blows. "That is enough! Ginny, Blaise, go about what you were doing would you? Ronald, come sit down. NOW." Her tone brokered no argument and, grudgingly, all parties complied. Once she and her two best friends were alone again, she turned to Ron and said, "I can't believe you, Ron! How dare you try to tell Ginny who she can date? What's the matter with you? You don't even have a problem with him!"_

 _"I've bloody well got a problem with him if he's trying to sink his slimy claws into my sister, Hermione! You have no right to interfere like you did. And why are you defending him? Wait - You knew didn't you?! How could you keep that from us?" Ron seethed at her._

 _"I have every right to interfere when you are being unreasonable! Ginny likes him Ron, he makes her happy. That's what should matter to you." she spat right back._

 _"Mione, he's a Slytherin!"_

 _"Ron, do you have any idea how prejudiced you sound right now? So what if he's in Slytherin? How is that any different from saying she couldn't have dated Harry because he's a half blood? Or saying you couldn't date me because I'm muggle born? No I don't want to hear it Ron!" she cut him off as he started to deny her statements. She was in no mood to listen to him drivel on just because he couldn't look past house rivalries. "Ginny is dating Blaise, end of. She's already owled your mother about it. You throwing a temper tantrum won't get you anything but a headache."_

 _Ron looked to Harry for support, who in turn looked at Hermione and said, "You say it like they're serious, Mione. How could she, I mean, we only just broke up." He was clearly conflicted, and Hermione knew he didn't intend it as he'd said it, but she gaped at his blatant double standard all the same._

 _"Harry James Potter, you ought to be ashamed of yourself. You let a girl you were going on a date with show up while Ginny and I were still at the table, and you have the nerve to ask how could she date someone else, four months after you broke up? Is she supposed to be heartbroken over you forever? People move on, YOU moved on. You don't have the right to ask 'how could she'." Hermione wasn't quite sure who she was talking to or about anymore. Certainly to Harry about his tone deaf comment, but also a bit to Ron. She'd needed to tell him in some way that she wouldn't be broken forever, that she would move on, even if she wasn't strictly saying it to him._

 _Harry had the grace to look ashamed but Ron felt no such compunction. "Hermione, what is wrong with you lately? First you're hanging out with Malfoy and now you're defending Zabini. I don't get it. Is this something to do with..." He raised his eyebrows to hint at what he was referencing and she called on every bit of restraint she had before packing her books away and standing from the table. Glaring daggers at Ron, she said, "I am capable of making my own choices, and I will be friends with whomever I choose. Neither years of friendship nor one - what was it you called it again? oh right - 'terrible mistake that never would've happened if we weren't drunk' gives you any kind of authority over my associations Ronald Weasley. I will not tell you that again."_

"And then I left. That was yesterday around lunchtime and I haven't seen either of them since. I'd like to see Harry, just to sort things out, but Ron... I'm not sure I'm ready to talk to him. I can't believe he had the nerve to insinuate what he did." Hermione finished. Draco had been listening intently, careful to help her over divots and through tight spaces with as little pressure on her ankle as was possible. She hadn't realized how much she'd wanted to talk about what had transpired yesterday, nor had she realized how easily she slid into confiding in her slate eyed counter part.

They were currently standing in the corridor about twenty feet from their portrait door. The damn River was blocking their way but it seemed about finished. "You know, I find myself oddly flattered that you defended Blaise and I to your friends. It's still hard for me to believe that you gave me a chance in the first place, let alone that we're now friends. At least, I think we are." Draco said, shifting his weight in a silent show of discomfort at not knowing exactly where they stood. "We're absolutely friends, Draco," she told him, "You've done nothing but be honest with me since we decided to start with a clean slate. Why wouldn't I defend you?"

If he were anyone else, he might've blushed at her praise. As he was Draco Malfoy, he curled up his lip in an arrogant smirk and said, "No reason at all of course, I'm wonderful." She rolled her eyes at him. Pompous tosser.

"You know," he said as the river tapered off and the floor stones righted themselves, "from what you said, it sounds like Potter probably knows about what happened between you two now."

"Ugh, don't remind me. I can't imagi- Oh my god!" she broke off at the sight of their portrait door. The painting had been severed down the center, effectively separating the young couple who were in a state of panic. The bisecting line looked like it was magical, not physical. "What happened?"

"Oh it was awful!" the girl said. "There were two people here, demanding that they be let in. When we didn't, they sealed our portrait and then trapped us on either side. We can't leave this frame, and now we can't even see each other!" she wailed, breaking down into a sobbing heap now that her tale had been told. The boy spoke up and said, "They left a note for you two!" It's over there," gesturing to the wall across from their door.

Draco stalked over, snatched the note off the wall and read it. His face hardened and he nearly snarled before he thrust the missive out for her to read. On their own parchment, the one they'd bout in Hogsmead this past weekend, read:

CAN YOU IMAGINE A WORSE FATE THAN BEING SEPARATED FROM YOUR LOVED ONES BECAUSE OF THE ACTIONS OF ANOTHER. IT IS THE WORST FEELING YOU COULD POSSIBLY EXPERIENCE. AS I AM SEPARATED FROM THOSE I LOVE BY DEATH AND IMPRISONMENT, SO SHALL YOU BE.

THE BLOOD TRAITOR AND THE MUDBLOOD WILL GET THEIR DUE.

* * *

 _ **A/N: Sorry for the cliffy! It had to end there lol. The next chapter might be a bit late, for two reasons. It's taking a bit of weaving to pull together which is taking more time than I'd anticipated. But also, I'm working on another project which is calling my heart. Thank you to**_ riaroo400 _ **and**_ pgoodrichboggs _ **for reviewing the last chapter, you guys gave me a lot of motivation to bang this chapter out when my muse had abandoned me lol. Anyhow, what'd you guys think? Be sure to let me know!**_


	10. Embarrassment And Urges

**Disclaimer: I do not own the rights to the characters or anything associated with the Harry Potter universe. Mores the pity.**

* * *

Draco had known there would be a fall out. There was no way he could do what he'd done and expect no repercussion for it. He'd hoped it could be avoided until at least the end of school.

Walking through the halls with Hermione, having just come from the Headmasters office, he knew his hoping had been for naught.

 _"It would seem that there are some here who don't approve of your actions, Mister Malfoy." the ancient Headmaster said. "Nor, it would seem, of your friendship with Miss Granger. I'd like you both to please be on your guard, and be sure to report anything else such as this. I and the rest of the staff will be questioning the portraits in your corridor, as well as the ghosts who partook in the River tonight. Until we have more information though, I'm afraid there isn't much more we can do."_

Fat load of help he'd been. Draco could scarcely believe that someone had threatened the Head Boy and Girl of the school and the best advice the administration had was "Watch your back". Rubbish. They made their way back to their rooms for the second time that night. Draco expected himself to feel more shaken than he was. After all, he had been expecting this eventually. He was a bit on edge to be sure, but it almost felt good not to wonder will it or won't it in regards to some kind of retaliation.

Who could it have been though? His guess was as good as any. It seemed likely that it was a Slytherin, given the hinting at lost family. But who specifically? And moreover, who was stupid enough to threaten _them_? He wasn't one to toot his own horn (okay, he was) but he was no slouch when it came to a fight, magic or otherwise. And he knew first hand that Granger was solid on both fronts as well. It had to be someone who either didn't know either of them well, or someone who was so governed by their emotions that they didn't think their little ploy all the way through.

 _Simpletons_ , Draco thought, _what shoddy planning. I could've concocted a better scheme in my first year._

It was rather annoying though that they'd managed to conceal their identity. No matter, it would make it all the sweeter when they found out who it was. And they most certainly would. Between he and Hermione, they could solve this and not even lose rank in their classes. It was just a matter of trying.

Speaking of Hermione, she was looking rather well put together. He'd expected her to look at least a bit frazzled by the events of the night, but she seemed more determined than anything. She was still limping, as she'd stubbornly refused to go to the Hospital wing for something that will "be fine by morning thanks much". _Obstinate to the core_ , Draco laughed in his mind. He rather liked that though. Weak wills made for boring sparring partners.

She was very clearly lost in her own head, trying to puzzle this mystery out. He should have known she'd meet this adversity the same way she always did, with relentless single -minded determination. As it was, she was barely paying attention and he was practically guiding her as well as playing crutch to keep her weight off of her injury. It was a bit sweet, Draco thought, that she'd trust him enough to get her back okay that she'd all but checked out of awareness. So much so that she didn't realize they were back to their rooms until he cleared his throat louder than necessary.

"What?" she said dazedly, as though still coming back to reality. Draco smirked and said, "We've arrived, dear oblivious one." She blushed at having been caught up in her own head and said "Oh, right. Sorry about that. Thinking, you know."

"Don't be sorry, Hermione. Your way of thinking is easily the best part about you, it's hardly something to make apologies for."

He saw her blush deepen and felt a glimmer of masculine satisfaction at making a pretty girl blush. "Um, this might be easier if I carry you," he said. The portrait hole was a bit difficult to navigate, probably something to do with how the room was formed, and it would be a real bitch to get through hobbling. "Oh no, I couldn't possibly make you carry me! Honestly Draco, you've done enough by helping me walk all this time and really I did it to myself so I sho-" He'd listened long enough to be sure that her protests were based on trying not to be a burden (silly twit) and not any real objection to being carried before he lifted her with the arm supporting her back and used the momentum to swing her legs up until they were hooked over his other arm.

"It's ten paces, I won't die. You weigh next to nothing and besides, what are friends for?" He smiled at her, and gave the password before she could give another protest. By the time he deposited her on the loveseat, she was positively scarlet. "Oh come now Hermione, you didn't really think I was going to make you walk through that? You can be rather stupid at times, you know."

"Don't call me stupid."

"Then don't act stupid. Why is it such a big deal, anyhow? You're having difficulty walking, I was more than capable, it seemed the most expedient solution." He really was confused as to why she'd be embarrassed about such a mundane thing.

She grumbled in frustration and said, "It's a muggle thing, you wouldn't understand. It's stupid anyhow."

Well, now his interest was piqued. Evidently there was something about carrying her that he'd missed. Ah, cultural differences. Making things slightly awkward since forever. He continued to look at her, obviously looking for further explanation, and waited until she somewhat reluctantly said, "In some muggle customs, it's traditional for a man to carry his new bride over the threshold of their living space the first time the enter it. It's a wedding thing."

Draco couldn't help himself, he laughed. "What a ridiculous tradition! What on earth could a threshold have to do with marriage, that's absurd!" She glowered at him and said, "Wizarding society has plenty of nonsensical wedding traditions too! Or are you going to say that tying a knot of twine around each others fingers is perfectly normal?"

"Ah but that's based in magic, isn't it? It's said to keep the couples ghosts together even after they pass."

"Right, otherwise known as a load of rubbish. Ancient muggles believed that a bride shouldn't wish to leave her fathers house and therefor needed to be drug out, and others believed that spirits would be waiting at the threshold in last ditch attempts to curse the couple and therefore the bride needed to be carried over lest the spirits enter through her feet. It's all a load of bollocks but traditions often have stupid roots, muggle or magical."

She was rather attractive when she lectured him, Draco decided. There was a fire in her eyes and a conviction in her tone that did things for him. _Head out of the gutter Malfoy, control that stupid teenage imagination_ he told himself. "Alright fine, you win. I'm sorry if I embarrassed you. You certainly seem to know a lot about wedding lore, planning on having Weasly make an honest woman of you there Granger?" he teased, before fully realizing what he'd said. Oh fuck, please let that have come out as joking as I meant it. He didn't know if she was at a point where she could laugh about the Weasel situation and like the prat she'd always accused him of being, he'd thrown one of her biggest insecurities in her face.

To his utter relief, she barked out a laugh. "Oh Godric no. Ron's brother Bill got married over the summer - to Fleur Delacor, you remember her? - and he had me look up all sorts of wedding traditions to see which ones suited them best."

Makes sense, Hermione would be the best person to research anything, though he was willing to bet that Other Weasly had gotten a much more throughout report back than he'd planned on. He smiled at the mental picture of the ever studious Gryffindor handing off a twenty page annotated report on wedding customs. Taking the cushion beside her on the loveseat, he propped his feet up on the coffee table and said, "Right then, shall we begin brainstorming? I'd much like to know who terrorized poor Hansel and Elise just when their relationship was on the mend."

"Take your feet off the table-"

"No."

"- and who are Hansel and Elise?"

"Why Granger, I'm ashamed of you. They're the couple in the portrait, of course. I'd assumed you'd have talked their paint off by now."

"Hhmp, I actually have friends to talk to Draco"

Ouch, that stung a bit. He didn't have very many friends, just Blaise and Granger and perhaps the fire haired harpy his best mate called a girlfriend. Not that he wanted many, the ones he had were enough, but there was enough truth in her statement for him to feel the bite. It must've shown on his face because she was immediately repentant. "Oh Draco, I'm sorry. That was rather rude of me to say, I wasn't really thinking."

She was cute even when remorseful, he thought. _No stop it, none of that. Focus!_

"It's fine Hermione, really. Now, back to the matter at hand," he said before being overtaken by a powerful yawn. "Merlin, excuse me. I don't know where that came from." But he did though. The events of the day, truly the week, had worn on him. The couch was so comfortable, too, and it was nearly five in the morning. They'd spent hours with their professors going over everything. "Draco," said the equally tired voice of the girl beside him, "I think we ought to call it a night. I'm wrecked, and my body is still a bit achy."

"Maybe you shouldn't have turned the stairs into a giant death slide."

"Maybe you should get your shoes off the table you giant baby"

Draco chuckled at her quip and that was the last thing he recalled before dozing off right there in the living room.

He awoke several hours later, disoriented by waking somewhere that was clearly not his room. He realized that he must've fallen asleep on the loveseat. Blinking slowly, he made to stand only to realize there was a weight in his lap. His awareness returned enough for him to realize that he wasn't the only one who hadn't made it to their bed. Hermione Granger was curled up next to him and had her head pillowed square in his lap.

Draco wasn't quite sure how to proceed. Did her wake her? Did he move around and let her think she woke alone, sparing her the embarrassment of being caught sleeping on him? Salazar knew he didn't want to embarrass her any further after the threshold nonsense and the near disaster of the Weasel Wedding joke.

Perhaps he should just let her sleep. He was rather comfortable, and she looked to be sleeping peacefully. Unconsciously, his hand moved out to smooth some of her curls back from her face. He froze not when he realized what he was doing but when she began to stir. He thanked every ghost in the castle when she merely made some sleepy mewls and nuzzled her face closer into his stomach, sighing almost contentedly.

He looked at her then, really looked at her. Her warm skin was marred a bit by sleep lines, her dark lashes feathered against the tops of her cheeks. Her lips were a dark pink and slightly pillowed, though the bottom one was chapped from the way she constantly worried it with her teeth when lost in thought. Her hair, the mass of chaos that was much softer than he'd anticipated, was spread all over his legs and pillowed one of her cheeks. Her eyebrows were shaped nicely and bolder than he knew most girls wore them these days. He wasn't quite sure why that observation mattered but for some reason it just solidified the fact that the girl on his lap was unlike any other girl he'd known.

And damn it all to hell, he was attracted to her. There was not reason to deny it right now, not when she was unconscious and he was uninhibited. She truly was a beautiful girl.

Somehow, he felt like he was admitting something to himself that he'd known for far longer than these last couple of months. Why else would he have stared at her the way he did when he knew he wasn't being watched? Why else would the way she sometimes chewed her lip or fiddled with her hair drive him to such distraction? It even somewhat explained his reaction to thinking Blaise had wanted to shag Granger.

He'd been _jealous_.

He was bloody well aware that Hermione had grown to a young woman's body - he was a young man was he not? He was aware of the way her shirts slightly hugged the swell of her modest chest, aware of the way her bunched robes currently dipped enticingly into the curve of her waist. He was painfully aware of the way the skirt of her uniform did nothing to hide her ample backside. She wasn't just beautiful or cute or attractive, she was dead sexy as well.

Having always been an arse man, Draco couldn't help but glance down to where the spread of her hip was before a familiar heat behind his navel signaled him that things were about to start happening _. Fuck fuck NO! Okay alright don't panic, quick think of something, think of anything. Think of the Queen, think of Snape or Potty or the Weasel. Madam Pomfrey in a bikini! Oh thank Salazar and all his servants._

Draco had never been so mortified and simultaneously grateful that Hermione was still asleep and he'd been able to control himself before things got uncomfortable. What kind of lecherous pig was he anyhow? One minute he was admiring her and the next he was struggling to keep an erection from forming. He decided this was pondering better left to when he was more fully in control of himself. He summoned a pillow for him to shove into the corner of the couch and a blanket to over Hermione from the window bench.

He then shut his eyes and tried his very best to fall asleep before the mental picture of a scantly clad Pomfrey transformed itself into the shapely brunette in his lap.

* * *

When Hermione awoke, it was to strong daylight streaming in through the window. _My bedroom doesn't have a window._ She blinked harder to clear the sleep from her eyes until she realized she was in the living room. Not only that, but she was sleeping on Draco's lap. He was snuggled against the back cushions, canting slightly to the right so that his hips almost cradled her head. She expected her neck to have a crick in it but she was surprised to find that her whole body felt oddly relaxed. Which was a good thing because she felt certain she would have been panicking by now if her body wasn't still half asleep.

She drowsily looked up at Draco's sleeping face. He looked almost sweet when he slept, she thought. Like the pressures of his upbringing and the realities they now faced were nothing more than a dream. She couldn't say specifically what was different since he was so good at throwing up that unfeeling mask all the time. There was just something. Like the still surface of a lake who's waters were usually perilous but for the moment were as safe a haven as any.

Hermione blushed when she realized she was staring at him again, and went redder still when she remembered how she'd practically ogled him the night before. Merlin what was wrong with her? It was probably a good thing that she was noticing other boys, a sign of progress, but him? He was... well, Malfoy! Godric, she sounded just like Ron, didn't she? Why ever shouldn't she be allowed to like looking at him? He was quite fit and it was no secret. Briefly, she marveled in the differences between a boy who took pride in being well groomed and one who couldn't care less. There she went again, comparing Draco to Ron, but really she didn't have much other basis for comparison now did she?

Utterly fed up with her own musings, she shut her eyes and burrowed her head into her pillow. Perhaps she'd suffocate and be free of whatever lunacy had overtaken her. Unfortunately, she'd forgotten that her pillow happened to be the lap of her cohabitant. She'd accidentally snuggled her face directly into the partially uncovered stomach of the boy who was now rousing from his sleep. _What do I do, What do I do? How embarrassing! What do I say, what is he going to say? Why can't either of have just gone to our beds!?_

Her silent panicking meant that she hadn't opened her eyes again yet, though she heard Draco yawn and felt him stretch beneath her. She prepared herself for his exclamations of shock, or worse for his mockery. She was not prepared, however, for the hand that softly swept her hair back from her face and then stroked it with equal care. She was stunned into immobility. Why was he touching her like this? And why wasn't she outraged? Why was she actually enjoying the light ministrations?

She felt the back of his fingers glide delicately over her cheek, a finger brush the spot that he'd healed the night prior, and then his hand slowly slip through her curls until he was lifting her head so he could stand. He placed her head on a pillow she assumed he'd been using - it was still warm - and though her back was to him, she could sense that he was still watching her. She waited until she heard him walk somewhat hurriedly to the bathroom and heard the shower start before she sat up. Idly she felt a blanket she hadn't grabbed fall from her shoulders and was well on her way to dissecting every bit of what had just happened, when she heard a knock on the door.

Not Ginny or Blaise then, since neither of them felt the need for such niceties as knocking and barged in whenever they felt like it. She walked to the door and said, "Who is it? Her wand was in hand and at the ready. She may be entirely inept when it came to boys but Hermione Granger knew how to take precautions and protect herself damn it.

"Mione, it's Harry open up."

She sighed with relief and started to open the door when a sudden thought took her and she said, "Who's with you?" She wasn't in the right frame of mind to deal with her ex whatever right now, and besides he was still as banned as Parkinsons.

"It's just me, I swear. I left Ron in the Great Hall. And just for good measure, you can be sure it's really me; otherwise how would I know that back in fourth year, you let Viktor Krum get you out of your top?"

She shoved the door open so fast that if Harry hadn't been expecting it, he would've been knocked on i ass. "He did NOT get me out of my top and you know it!" she said, indignant at his suggestion. Her blouse may have had a few buttons undone but nothing as drastic as what her idiot best friend was suggesting.

Said idiot grinned at her and said, "I know. But it got you to open the door didn't it?" and slipped inside before she could change her mind. His grin fell however when he said, "I heard what happened last night. Or at least, I heard a rumor. Are you okay, Hermione? Why weren't you in morning classes, are you alright?"

So many questions before she'd had caffeine. Life was cruel. She sighed and said, "Yes Harry, I'm fine I swear. I wasn't in morning classes because I didn't get back here until almost five in the morning." She glanced at the clock on the mantle that read 1 o'clock. Not bad, considering how wiped she'd been. "And as for what happened, Draco and I came back after patrols to find our portrait door vandalized and a vaguely threatening note pinned to the wall. Nothing overly serious but the staff were thorough all the same."

Harry, to her surprise, _didn't_ look surprised. "Yeah, I thought as much. We need to talk, I think. All of us." He was starting to look much too serious and Hermione's 'Harry's Got Trouble' sensor was going haywire. "Harry? What is it?"

He let out a strained breath and pulled a piece of parchment from his trouser pocket before saying, "You two aren't the only one's who have a secret admirer."

* * *

Standing in front of the water's spray, Draco momentarily considered the merits of drowning himself. What the hell did he think he was doing, stroking her face like that? What if she'd woken up? He hadn't been able to stop himself though. She'd looked like perfection, and any seventeen year old who woke up with her in his lap would've done the same. They also would be faced with the problem he now had, the reason he'd had to make a getaway instead of sitting with her a while more.

It had been that fucking nuzzle that did him in. He'd woken to the feel of Hermione's lips against the sensitive skin just above his trousers, her small puffs of breath trailing over his flesh like the most wicked of caresses. He indulged in the urge to stoke her hair, to trail his fingers over her face, before he realized that her innocent sleep movement was causing quite the opposite of an innocent reaction right behind her head.

He'd lifted her from his lap as quickly as he could without disturbing her and put an actual pillow under her head to replace where he'd been. He studied her a bit then, took in the slight suggestion of her shape beneath all of the layers, and the memory of her lips on his stomach took full hold of him. He'd rushed to the shower and here he stood, simultaneously cursing himself and trying to wish away the persistent stiffness between his hips.

His erection was as stubborn as the rest of him though, and the steam of the shower only made it worse. In here, he didn't feel so guilty that he'd been secretly wanting her for years(especially since he hadn't fully known). He didn't feel weird remembering the way her breath on his skin made him shiver. And, as he unconsciously reached for the problem that demanded solving, he couldn't bring himself to feel anything other than desire for the witch who'd spent the night with him.

Sure they'd done nothing but sleep, and even that had been by accident, but that was of little import. Draco was in the full throws of a hormone take over and lucky for him, he had a very active imagination. His hips started to move in time to his tugging as the night reshaped itself in his mind.

 _"Maybe you should take your shoes off the table."_

 _"Maybe you should make me, Granger."_

 _The brunette beside him raised her eyebrows at the challenge, then slowly, daring him, she leaned back against the other arm of the loveseat. Her uniform was shorter and tighter than it was in reality, but this was his fantasy damn it. "I know the perfect way to get your feet down," she said with a coy smile._

 _Draco, eyes appreciatively running up and down her form, said, "What's that?"_

 _"Come here and find out."_

 _Being the smart boy he is, he didn't need telling twice. He was lying over her in seconds flat, legs intertwined and his thigh pressed against her most sensitive parts. She sucked in a small pleasurable gasp at the intimate contact and ran her hands up his arms before threading her fingers through his hair._

 _"You said not to take another lover unless he would respect my pleasure and show me the time of my life. So don't start this if you won't hold to that," she said in that slightly haughty voice that drove him fucking crazy. Oh he'd respect her pleasure alright._

 _In lieu of an answer, he dropped his mouth to claim hers and applied more pressure with his thigh. Kissing her was like nothing he'd known, hot and sweet and unbridled. She kissed him back as though she was desperate for him. He locked one hand on her hip, pinning her beneath the still tame pressure he had on her apex. He wanted her to enjoy the slow growing heat until she boiled over for him._

 _He let his other hand explore, running down the side of her soft thigh and hiking it up to give him more room to maneuver. He rocked against her and let his hand trail in over her hip and across the smooth plane of her stomach. Somehow they'd lost their shirts and he was exploring the heated skin just under her breast. His mouth dropped kisses along her jaw until her found a particularly receptive spot just under her ear and sucked on it just as he took her bra clad breast in his hand and increased his thigh movements, rubbing against her at a frenzied pace._

 _Hermione threw her head back, giving his more access to her neck and thrusting her chest into his manipulations. The keening sound coming from her was almost more than he could take, and she was shaking beneath him, her breath coming in strained pants. "Draco, please" she moaned at him, low and pleading like he was the only thing she needed. She jerked her hips up, grinding herself against his leg to alleviate the ache he'd been stoking in her, and-_

Draco lost nearly all control as his climax brought him back to reality. He was literally seeing stars as he spilled himself on the tiles, and struggled to gain control of his breathing as he came back down. He could scarcely believe he'd just tossed off to a fantasy of Hermione Granger. And more than that, it'd been the hardest he'd ever come by himself.

He couldn't even bring himself to feel bad about it, honestly. It wasn't as if he planned to suddenly start harassing her or anything. He'd act towards her as he always did, and save the rest for Fantasy Granger. Because he had no doubt he'd do it again. It had felt too bloody good to not have an encore or five.

He went about washing himself, still high from his orgasm and considering giving himself another go to see how far in the fantasy he could get, when the object of his lust walked straight into the bathroom.

"GRANGER WHAT THE FUCK!" he shouted, hiding his indecency with his hands.

"Oh please Draco, I can't see anything. Your nudity doesn't concern me-"

 _If only you knew, Granger. Especially when you say 'Oh please Draco' like tha-stop Malfoy, focus!_

"And you're needed out here, it's important. Harry got a letter too, and I think it's from the same person who left ours."

* * *

 ** _A/N: Naughty, naughty, Mister Malfoy! Tell me honestly guys, how was that? I've read plenty of smut but this is my first time writing it lol ans since I plan on more (I regret nothing) I'd like your feedback on it!_**

 ** _Also, Guest Reviewer: You say ruining the plot, I say expanding on and layering the plot. This IS listed as romance/drama after all. I love a good bit of fluff but I like some meat on my stories so that it's not all relationship. But if that's not your cup of tea well, sorry bout that._**

 ** _Enjoy guys!_**


	11. Comparisons

**Disclaimer: I do not own the rights to the characters or anything associated with the Harry Potter universe. Mores the pity.**

* * *

Since they had to wait for Malfoy to get dressed, Hermione decided to read Harry's letter again.

HOW DOES IT FEEL HAVING YOUR MUDBLOOD STOLEN AWAY BY BLOOD TRAITOR SCUM LIKE MALFOY? GET USED TO THE FEELING POTTER, THOSE YOU CHERISH AREN'T LONG FOR THIS SCHOOL.

Charming. At east it was slightly more informative than the one she and Draco had received. This one at least showed there was intent to not just get at the two of them, but all those who were instrumental in the way the final battle played out. Anyone who knew Harry knew the easiest way to hurt him was to hurt those he loves.

That narrowed it down by almost nothing, but it never hurt to make note of intentions she thought. "Where was this left?" she asked Harry, who was sitting on the wood of their small patio, dangling his legs off the edge. Harry had decided he wanted to have this conversation 'outside' as to give him and Draco breathing room. Hermione politely refrained from pointing out that their little forest was still very much indoors; she simply levitated some of the chairs outside. Why Harry decided to plop on the floor was anyone's guess.

"It was pinned to the wall outside the entrance to the Gryffindor common room. It was addressed to me and charmed so that only I could remove it. Ron thought it was a love note, the wanker. Anyway, that means it wasn't a Gryffindor. They would've had the password to get in and leave it somewhere I was more likely to find it." Harry stated, now swinging his legs to rustle the low vegetation. Hermione thought he must find the earthy smells relaxing because he seemed quite at ease considering they were discussing someone threatening them.

"Now now, Potter. One mustn't state suppositions as fact. There are quite a few reasons it could've been left where it was that in no way exclude a Gryffindor."

Draco joined them on the patio, still wet headed from his shower and dressed in lounge clothes. Obviously he wasn't planning on going anywhere which was good, because she planned on utilizing their combined intellect to make some sort of progress on whoever was leaving these notes. "What are you on about Malfoy, why wouldn't they leave it in my room if they had the opportunity?"

"Actually Harry, Draco's right. Whoever it was could've left in the corridor to avoid being seen coming in and out of your dorm."

Her Slytherin counterpart chimed in with, "Or to make you think you could knock all Gryffindors off the suspect list."

"It's even possible they wanted other people to see the note and ask about it out of a desire for sensationalism."

"Or maybe they just wanted to give me a chance to mock you for your presumptuousness."

Hermione rolled her eyes at that last one. Some things will never change. Harry flicked his eyes between the two of them with a look that was half annoyance half suspicion. "This whole you two teaming up on me thing? I'm not a fan." Harry said, clearly miffed that they'd shot down what he thought was progress. She glanced at Draco to share a knowing look with him and found him already looking her way. He smirked a bit, and then an odd expression stole his features before he looked away from her. _Strange boy_ , she thought, _I'll never understand him._

"Well what idea's have you lot got then?" Harry demanded. Draco, face back to it's usual bored facade, said, "Let's see this note Hermione so rudely interrupted my shower for then." His face and voice didn't change but the tops of his ears, barely visible under the wet tendrils of his platinum locks, went a faint pink color. _Is he...Is Draco Malfoy blushing? Surely not! It's not like I ripped open his stall or anything, the great prude_.

She rolled her eyes at his silly embarrassment. She hadn't seen anything other than his head and the tops of his chest and shoulders, the rest of his modesty was covered by the frosting of the glass.

Was she going to think about those shoulders and the way water droplets rolled down the definition of his muscles? Most definitely, right along with the way he'd touched her face and hair, and the memory of the slightly coarse hair on his abdomen rubbing against her lips. But right now, they had more important things to think about.

"Well," Harry said, drawing her from her inappropriate thoughts, "I have to be going or I'll be late to class. I just wanted to see if there was anything to the rumors but even though there is, I'm not sure how much help I'll be."

"Just let us know if anything else noteworthy happens Potter, Hermione and I are more than capable of handling the rest."

"All this given name business is very strange, you know that right?

Malfoy smirked and returned his attention to the note as if to let Harry know how little he cared about his comfort. Hermione shook her head and said, "I don't have any afternoon classes today but I did want to talk to you. Fancy some company to the end of the corridor?"

Harry nodded and headed back inside presumably towards the door. She looked at Draco and said, "You're not nearly as funny as you'd like to think, you know. That pun was awful and far too easy, I'm disappointed." He grinned at her, looking almost playful, and said "Even I'm not above low hanging fruit. But I'll pull out my A game from now on, yeah? Can't have you thinking you're the sharp one in this little duo." And then of all things, he winked at her. Hermione felt sure she would have started blushing had she not turned around and joined Harry. Damn her minimal experience with boys, she couldn't even bear harmless casual winks without working herself into a tizzy.

"Mione?" Harry said, once again pulling her out of herself. "I know you wanted to talk but I want to say something first if that's alright."

She was confused but allowed him to speak first with a short nod and an "Alright then, Harry."

He took a deep, steadying breath and trained his eyes on the walk ahead of them. "Look, I know I was out of line in Hogsmead, and again with the whole Ginny and Zabini thing." Hermione looked at her long time friend to see him running his hand through his hair in frustration. She found it endearing but fought the urge to smooth the unruly black mess back down.

"I can't apologize for Ron but I thought I was better than what I said. With the Lavender and Hannah thing, I swear I didn't know until we were already on our way so I couldn't warn you girls. And in the library... Hell I don't know, Hermione. I suppose I was just caught off guard. I - everyone - always thought it was going to be me and Ginny in the end. I wanted it to work so badly but it just didn't. When you said how happy she is with him, I guess I just felt sort of betrayed. Not by her of course, like you said she has every right to be happy, but by how things turned out. I hate not knowing how things will work out. It was supposed to be we defeat Voldemort, we graduate, we get jobs, then I ride off into the sunset with her while you and Ron did the same. So far, one of those has happened and another has gone totally cocked up. It makes the other two items on that list seem almost unattainable, especially when I'm struggling to get through all of my classes this year. I think Ginny moving on just felt like the final nail in that coffin. I'm not proud of how I acted, and I have every intention of apologizing to Ginny too whenever I see her. We were finally getting to be friends again, and I'll never forgive myself if I fucked that off."

Harry was a bit winded after his proclamation, and Hermione took a moment to just stare at er lone time friend. How remarkable that Harry could now admit to and try to make amends for his mistakes so easily. She herself had a hard time apologizing when she was in the wrong, hence why she made every effort to never _be_ wrong. It hit her then that they truly were growing up. They were all legally recognized as adults but something about being at Hogwarts made her still think of them as children. Clearly, that wasn't the case.

"Harry, you know I'd always forgive you. Thank you for your wonderful apology, and I absolutely accept it." she told him, threading her arm through his and leaning her head on his shoulder. He was as familiar to her as her own self, and she hated being cross with him. "Though I'll admit, I'm not sure why that was so important to you to apologize to me for."

"Not done with the apologizing yet, Mione. I want to apologize for how I acted about your friendship with Malfoy too. I didn't blow up on you about it like some people, but I was thinking the same things. Ron and I are quite protective over you, you know? I mean sure you had plenty of other friends, but no other best friends. Especially other male ones. I don't know that you classify him in the best friend category but I think we just saw the way you two are getting closer and got... jealous." His ears started to burn with the admission, and Hermione couldn't hold in a grin. She wouldn't tell him, but she found it rather adorable that her boys were jealous when she spent time with another boy.

"Harry Potter, do you think me so fickle with my friends?" she admonished him, though clearly playfully. "It's true, Draco and I are becoming good friends even if he is still a bit of a prat. But you and Ron have been my best friends since I was twelve years old, you were the first friends I made in the magical world. No matter how many friends I have, It'll always be us three."

Harry gave her a big grin and pulled her into a squeezing hug. "I'm glad that's settled then," he said to her, "Now what was it you wanted to talk to me about?"

"Well, it's actually about what _I_ said in the library. To Ron, that is." She felt her stomach do flips as she steeled herself to tell him. She didn't want anymore secrets between them.

"Oh the bit where you alluded to you two shagging at a victory party this summer? Because that's really none of my business."

Hermione felt like she'd been hit in the face with a brick. How did Harry know?! Had Ron told him? What exactly had he told him? Never before had she wished more for the power to disappear, but she instead said, "YOU KNEW!?"

Harry blushed furiously and kept his eyes on the path ahead. "Erm, yeah. Don't worry, Ron didn't tell me. I sort of, I mean we... well, Ginny and I were actually looking for someplace to be alone." His whole face was scarlet now and Hermione could tell where he was going. "I may have come across you two. It was an accident, and I looked away I swear! I didn't even tell Ginny why we absolutely couldn't use the room. I've known you had feeling s for him for a while, I just thought that maybe he was finally opening his eyes. Then when it was clear you weren't together, I just thought it didn't work out."

Godric save her, it may well be possible to succumb to mortal mortification.

"You are much more observant than I've given you credit for," she sighed as she rubbed her face in exasperation. "Yes, I had feelings for him, and yes we slept together, but the next morning he made it very clear that it only happened because we'd been drinking and that it wasn't something that meant anything to him." Hermione was surprised to find that there was no hurt when she said it. Mild sting, which she assumed would always be there, but no real hurt.

Harry wrapped an arm around her and dropped a kiss to her head. "I'm sorry, Mione. I didn't know any of that. If you want me to kick his arse, I will. Best mate or no." He said it in a light tone but she could tell that he'd meant the offer. "No it's alright, Harry. I'm actually mostly past it now. I just didn't want there to be secrets between us or for you to think my not being around as much was because of you."

They'd reached the end of their walk. Harry turned to her, gave her a full hug, and said, "There's nothing you could do to make me resent you. You're one of my best friends, you don't have to explain yourself to me. I'm glad you told me though."

Hermione felt close to tears but all she said was, "Alright you great sap, no more of these heartfelt confessions. Off with you, you've apologies to make and I've a note leaver to catch." He smiled at her and waved as he went down a staircase in search of Ginny, and she turned back towards her dorms with a lighter heart than she'd had in months.

* * *

In retrospect, Draco realized that his shower time activities may not have been the best idea. It had _seemed_ like a bloody brilliant idea at the time, and his body still felt that way, but that was the problem now wasn't it? It was bad enough that she'd nearly walked in on him, but once dressed and calmed down, he still found it hard not to think of Hermione in a new light.

He'd found her attractive for before, but now his thoughts were tempered with the heat of his fantasy. Would real Hermione arch into him when he kissed her? Would she make those lusty little sounds that had set his blood on fire? Would she return his desires at all? He was getting ahead of himself They'd barely begun to truly be friends, she couldn't possibly.

But that knowledge hadn't stopped his brain from forming the questions, and it had made being in the same room with her a bit awkward. He didn't show it of course - Malfoy's never show their discomfort - but he'd been distracted from the moment he joined the two Gryffindors on the porch. First it hd been the sight of her in her still sleep rumpled clothes. Then the way she'd so easily sided with him against Potter's brainless statement. When she'd laughed at his ban pun, he couldn't help but wink at her. And Merlin help him if she didn't flush at the light flirting.

It was normal, he rationalized. Granger is so far in her books that she'd never noticed when anyone had flirted with her, and it had happened a fair amount. He felt a bit smug that she'd responded instantly to him though. Still, it could potentially make their friendship awkward if he tried to actually make move on her.

He'd never had a friend like her, and he'd be damned if he'd bugger it up by making her uncomfortable. He'd just have to get a better grip on his control. If he couldn't, he'd just have to give up fantasy Granger.

The witch in question came back through the door then, sans green eyed git but sporting a very becoming sense of calm happiness. "Let me grab a shower and then we'll start making lists yeah?" she told him as he fought to keep his mind off of showers, "Would you get started and have the book case pull down some reference books?"

Book. Yes. He could do that.

"I suppose I could do your slave labor," he drawled. "Any particular subjects?"

The corners of her lips curled up and she told him a few categories they could start with. By a few, he meant five. One would never be able to say Hermione Granger was less than thorough.

Draco set himself to the task of finding all readily available texts on the the subjects Hermione had requested. By the time she came back, he had no less than twenty seven research materials stacked on the coffee table. "Here we have every easily accessible book relating to known Death Eaters, Voldemort sympathizers and their families, rosters of students from all houses. There are also a few ministry files on integral war personnel that we can cross reference with the enrollment rosters to see who else might be targeted, as well as Azkaban ledgers and accounts of inmates prior and current. Lastly, we have some newspapers, gossip columns, and general common drivel from people who hate you, Potter, me, or a combination of all three."

He finished listing his finds and turned to face Hermione, who was wearing a look of something akin to awe on her still steam flushed face. Her curls were still somewhat drippy and left little dark spots on her grey t-shirt, which was paired with simple muggle lounge pants. All in all, she looked very... her.

"Don't look so shocked, you forget who you're dealing with. You aren't the only one who knows how to gather information."

"No, I supposed I'm not." she said, and then smiled that soft smile again. "I'm quite impressed, Draco."

It did his ego good to have her impressed with him, and he puffed his chest out at it like a preening bird. Just a bit. "Well I'd be impressed if you didn't drip all over the common room. Haven't you ever heard of a drying spell?" he quipped in an effort to change the route of he conversation. Luckily she didn't seem to take offense to his litter barb and merely said, "Drying spells dry my hair out too much. If you think it's frizzy usually, just imagine what it'd look like devoid of any moisture."

"As you were then, can't have you bemoaning the state of your hair can we? I'll have to call you Pansy and you'll try to hit me, best to avoid it all together."

He actually got a laugh for that one, and he decided he could easily spend the days alternating between trying to pick a fight with her and trying to make her laugh.

"You are such a tosser," she said through her last chortles, "let's just get started."

"Let's"

Several hours, four arguments, one childish paper wad fight, and countless snack breaks later, they had managed quite a bit. They had compiled a list of students with family or close associate lost to the war, separate columns for those dead and those imprisoned, divided by house. No surprise which house had the lengthiest list, but there were no houses entirely absent. Just goes to show how far hate and ignorance can spread, Draco thought. They also had a list of current Hogwarts students who played a bigger role than simply fighting in the last battle. It wasn't a very long list and as such, they were able to rank the names by likelihood of being targeted. Both lists had been cross references with all available texts and double checked by one another. All in all, it had been an extremely productive evening.

At some point, they'd wound up on the same couch, familiarly close but not intruding on one another's space. It was comfortable, this companionable silence they now found themselves in. Draco knew her brain had to have been as fried as his, and she probably felt just as accomplished as he did. He broke the quiet by saying, "I'd ask what the next move is, but I think I might hex you if I'm forced to make myself think anymore than needed right now."

"Same here." she said, "I don't even want to move." Draco was going to suggest that they turn in for the night when Hermione spoke up with "Who did you lose your virginity to, Draco?"

In the dignified manner befitting his bloodline, Draco choked on his own spit and was taken by a coughing fit. Hermione patted his back until he calmed down and said, "I'm sorry, I know that was out of the blue."

"Why in seven hells would you want to know that?" he sputtered, still trying to regain his calm. They'd spoken about sex just the once in reality, and of course the fake conversation he'd had with her fantasy counterpart. Why did she want to know about his sexual past?

She just shrugged and said, "Well, there are five people besides myself who know the story of how I lost mine. Of them, I know about the first times of three. Blaise I'm not sure I want the details of, if he can even remember-"

"It was Tracey Davis in third year."

"That's not yours to tell, Drac- wait really, Tracey? I Never would've guessed. And so young... Not that there's anything wrong with it I supposed, if it's what they both wanted."

"They were both fourteen and fancied themselves in love Hermione, it was hardly some sordid tryst in an empty classroom."

"Well still, it wasn't yours to say. And you've just furthered my point in any case. You know about my first time, I'd like to know about yours." Hermione said with a confident tone that was belied by her rigid posture. Was she afraid he'd mock her for her curiosity?

He let out a deep breath and said, "Fine, If you insist. My first time was at the end of fourth year, after the last task of the Tri-Wizard tournament. Before you ask, no I wasn't in love with the girl. We'd been snogging a bit all year but nothing serious. I think we both just felt like so much was about to change, and we wanted to at least have control over this one thing. I wouldn't say it was romantic but neither of us had any expectations, and there was something very freeing about that."

"Who was it?" she asked him in a soft voice.

"I doubt you know her, she was one of the Beauxbatons girls. Lissette Dubois. You aren't the only one who was dabbling behind enemy lines, you know," Draco said to lighten the somewhat awkward moment. It worked apparently because Hermione scoffed and said, "Please, Viktor and I were hardly more than friends."

"Right, friends who felt each other up in deserted corners of the library."

That earned him a pillow to the face and an indignant snort. "I'll have you know that he was very respectful!" Draco resisted the urge to say I'll be he was, and instead settled for, "You know I doubt I ever told you this, but you looked stunning on the night of the Yule Ball. No one thought there was a luckier man than Krum to have you as his date. Even my house."

Hermione turned her head towards the table as that blush he'd come to love stole over her skin again and said, "Oh um, well thank you." She then cleared her throat to change the subject and said, "You know when you said fourth year, I'd assumed you'd say Pansy was your first."

He mock gagged and said, "Absolutely not."

"Really," Hermione asked, interest clearly piqued, "You've never slept with Pansy?"

"So interested in my wrap sheet, Hermione. One might start to think you a voyeur. But I'll tell you the entirety of my sexual exploits if you do the same. Unless, of course, you find this subject too crass for your delicate sensibilities." he taunted, clearly trying to see if she'd back down from the challenge. And sod it all, he was very interested to know who besides Weasley had captured her attentions.

She narrowed her eyes at him as if to say you're on, moistened her lips with a quick swipe of her tongue, and said, "It's a list you want? Alright then. My first kiss was a neighbor boy, a few weeks before starting Hogwarts. Then there was a weird thing with a boy in Ravenclaw during second year. We would hold hands under the table in Charms class and had exactly three kisses. Oh and he put his hand on my bum."

Draco only vaguely remembered the boy, definitely didn't remember his name, but was instantly jealous of him.

"Then there was Viktor in fourth year, of course. There was plenty of snogging and, as you so eloquently put it, 'feeling each other up in the library'. Physically, it didn't go farther than some interesting touching and a few of my blouse buttons being undone. Emotionally, there were flutters of something. He was always genuinely interested in me, without wanting to change aspects of me. It felt nice to be noticed like that.

"It didn't go anywhere obviously, even though we still write to each other. I was already falling for Ron at that point and I just couldn't fully commit to something with him. Let me think... Oh yes, there were a couple of unpleasant lip locks with Cormac McLaggen when he cornered me last year, and then of course you know all of the business with Ron- oh calm down Draco, I handled it. Trust me, he won't be kissing anyone who doesn't want it any time soon."

Draco hadn't even realized until her reassurance that his face had screwed itself up in anger. Draco Malfoy had been many things in his short life, but someone who excuses forcing yourself on someone unwilling, in any capacity, had never been him. He allowed his mind to clear to consider all that she'd told him. It was more than he'd thought. Not chaste, though not frigid either. Interesting.

"Well," he said to her after a bit of thought, "Weasley may have cocked everything up between the two of you, but I'm glad you had Krum." Something he'd never thought he'd say, as he'd been incredibly jealous of the Bulgarian prat. "You deserve to have had someone who was interested in you as a person, someone who appreciated you and like you the way you were."

She stared at him for a bit then, like he was a puzzle she was trying to work out but couldn't quite solve, before she said, "Well, let's have it then."

Ah yes, it was his turn to share.

"Where to start..." He said while he mentally tried to put everything into chronological order. "Pansy was my first kiss. We were ten, and I believe I pushed her into a mud puddle afterward."

"So you've always been an arsehole then?"

"Quite. Now shush. Next was... Well, - and if you tell anyone this, I'll obliviate you so hard you'll forget how to swallow - next it was Blaise, in our third year before he and Tracey got together. He thought he might be interested in blokes as well as girls, and I'll admit that I was curious myself. We didn't shag, but it went farther than kissing.

"For him it stuck, but even though I don't regret what happened, it wasn't something I wanted to do again." He'd never told anyone that. He didn't even think of it much since he and Blaise had grown farther apart the more Draco got pulled into all of Voldemort's nonsense.

He wasn't ashamed of it, and he'd curse anyone who thought to belittle Blaise for his preferences, but he'd never trusted anyone enough to give them that kind of information. Ironic that a girl he'd once tormented would be the person he felt comfortable divulging his innermost secrets to.

Draco glanced at her, prepared to see mockery or even disgust, but he should've known by now not to expect to know how shed react. Her face was indeed colored by a bit of surprise, but more than anything there was understanding and that ever present curiosity.

How strange. How very Gryffindor. There were no cogs turning behind her eyes trying to spin the information for her own gain, no plots of blackmail forming. Just trust and understanding. Companionship.

Shaking his head, he continued with, "Well, then it was Lissette for most all of fourth year. Though she wasn't my first, Pansy and I did spend a lot of fifth year in intimate contact. I wasn't interested in her romantically, I was using the sex as a way to forget about all of the shite going on back at the manor. But she called herself my girlfriend and I allowed it because who was I to deny her the title if we were spending all of our spare time together anyway? In any event, I broke it all off with her that summer, when everything started changing.

"And all that's left is... a few witches this past summer in manners not unlike the one you and the Ginger Git found yourselves in. I was just so bloody happy to be alive, and for the first time in my life there were people of good repute looking at me like I was worth something. I'd be lying if I said it didn't feel good to be painted in that kind of light, or that I didn't take advantage of the better perks of my newfound good name."

He'd taken to staring at the ceiling for the last bit of his story, unwilling to look at Hermione as he spilled his sordid past. Draco doubted she'd be one to judge him for it, but was unwilling to take the risk of it all the same.

"And you were... attentive to the pleasure of all of your past lovers?"

 _Fuck me sideways, how many times can one person catch me off guard in a single conversation?_

"Y-yes, of course. It likely wasn't always mind blowing, but I always made sure to see to their needs before mine. If there's one good thing my father taught me its that _A Malfoy Man never leaves a woman anything less than satisfied, and to do so is dishonorable_."

"Hmm..." she said, as she worried her bottom lip and considered his words. "I think I rather agree on that."

Draco just stared as she stretched and rose from the couch. She started to roll their lists and put the texts away as she said. "The next time I take a lover, I fully intend to take your advice to heart. No one that isn't as dedicated to my pleasure as I am to theirs will ever get into my knickers again."

She then turned to him as though she hadn't blown his mind, yawned, and said, "Goodnight, Draco" in a sleep husked voice.

He stayed where he was a bit longer, replaying everything they'd just talked about and doubting that his will to remained controlled around the brunette would hold out. Especially if she insisted on having conversations like these. He wondered if he really wanted it to.

* * *

 _ **A/N: Hey guys! I had planned to put this up yesterday in honor of Harry's birthday, but alas it was not meant to be. Somehow I managed to erase almost 3000 words and by the time I finished crying and rewriting, It was already today. There may be some spelling/grammar errors, as I've only been able to give this a quick once over. I have a lot to get done and if I don't post it now, I won't be able to for the next few days, so I apologize in advance! Oh and always, much love and many thanks to**_ pgoodrichboggs _ **and**_ riaroo400 _ **for their steadfast reviewing! Hope you've enjoyed this chapter, please let me know!**_


	12. Fancy That

**Disclaimer: I do not own the rights to the characters or anything associated with the Harry Potter universe. Mores the pity.**

 _ **A/N: I know, I missed a week. Sorry! Shit went bad, I'll explain at the end. But for now, enjoy!**_

* * *

Time seemed to be simultaneously flying by and barely moving.

Draco found days turning into weeks without his notice because he was so busy. During the week he had classes and patrols, and twice a week he had quidditch practice. He'd decided against rejoining the team but had taken on something of a coaching role which suited him just fine. In fact, Slytherin was looking very good for the cup if they kept up at this rate.

On Saturday afternoons there was the obligatory student faculty meetings, and then later in the day there was a meeting between the Heads of House and the Head Boy and Girl. Then of course there was the ever prevalent search for their mysterious secret admirer, who had left another note a piece for all three of them.

At least they now knew it was a he.

Hermione had done some strange muggle experiments on traces left on the paper. She'd said something about finding letters in the 'trace DOA" but none of it made any sense to him, all he knew was that she was sure a male was behind it.

That cut their suspect lists down by almost a quarter, but it was still slow going. Of the seventy eight males who'd been left on their list, they'd successfully managed to eliminate only nine. One of whom was Blaise.

He and Hermione both had been reluctant to put him on the list, but neither was willing to overlook the possibility. He did have death eater parents, one who was killed and another who was in Azkaban awaiting a Kiss. They'd removed him after Hermione's experiment had told her that the first note had been left not more than an hour before they found it. Blaise had been with them coming back from Hogsmead at the time, and therefore was removed for the suspect pool much to both of their pleasure.

They spent at least a few hours every night on the project, whittling slowly at their list and trying to form their solid facts into some kind of clue. With so much being done, the rest of November and the first week of December had passed by without his notice. He'd been entirely too caught up with a new obsession to care.

That was why time had seemed to stand still. Because all of the time he spent with quick witted Head Girl seemed to go on forever in the best way, and they spent much time together indeed. They'd bicker at one another during their morning routines before having breakfast together, then head for classes. If they shared the class, they'd sit near enough to each other to pass stupid notes back and forth undetected.

They had worked the patrol rota so that most of their shifts coincided, but only after he'd made the witch swear not to go transfiguring any more stair cases. She called him a spoil sport for it. If Draco didn't have practice and she didn't have any other engagements, they'd share dinner on their patio. Otherwise they'd meet up afterwards, pull their research materials out, and bend their brains to their task for the next few hours.

Sometimes, when they were both fried, they'd just sit on the couches not saying anything, just enjoying the other's presence.

It wasn't until this morning that he'd realized how their time together had been effecting him. Their talks that seemed to go on for hours, their arguments that sparked a heat low in his gut, even the way she could tear him to shreds with that dangerous intellect of hers. They'd become a balm to him.

After everything had happened, Draco had felt... anxious. He hadn't felt he could trust the death of the Dark Lord, and then after he hadn't felt he could trust the accolades of people who'd previously thought him lower than dirt. None of it ever felt solid or fixed, and Draco had found himself constantly waiting for the other shoe to drop. _Surely they aren't hailing me as a hero_ , he'd thought, _There's been a mix up, one they'll correct soon enough_.

It wasn't until he'd befriended Hermione that he'd started to relax. She was anything but calm, but just being around her was calming for his nerves even when she was riling him to near madness. Nothing she said to him felt artificial, and her treatment of him was contingent only on the way he treated her in kind. She'd proved as much when they'd shared breakfast before their meeting. He'd been a prat to her because he hadn't gotten enough sleep, and she'd responded by informing him of six different ways he and his attitude could bugger off.

For some reason, her insults had made him want to snog her breathless. Since she was leaving before him, Draco decided to indulge in one of his fantasy sessions to clear his mind of such impulses. But what his mind conjured was far from the lusty, passion filled scenarios he'd cooked up before. No, what he saw was... it looked alarmingly like a date.

 _The two of them were on the Astronomy Tower again, this time shielded by a warming bubble and nestled in a plush pile of blankets beside discarded food and drink containers. Draco was sitting with his knees spread, and Hermione was leaning her back against his chest as they watched the shower of stars that had been predicted by Firenze the night before._

 _He had one hand belted around her waist while the other toyed with an errant brandy colored curl. His lover gave a contented sigh and snuggled farther back into his body, humming her approval when he started flecking soft kisses along the exposed lines of her neck and shoulder. "This has been a perfect night, Draco." she told him in a low timbre. "I wouldn't have wanted to see this with anyone but you."_

 _She turned her face then to catch his lips with hers, and pulled him with her until they lay aligned among the folds of the blankets. He kissed her slowly and unhurriedly, as though they had all the time in the world to explore each other. Then he drug his mouth from hers to drop little pecks all over her, learning her body against the skin of his lips._

 _Then, when he was sure he'd memorized the shape of her, he simply pulled her to his chest and held her as lovers do. That was all. Though she was naked in his arms, all he wanted to do was keep her near his heart and assure her he wouldn't have wanted this night with a single other soul either._

He'd peeled his eyes open slowly, trying to make sense of it all. In reality, it was more like admitting something to himself that he'd known for a while. Hermione was everything he respected in a person and more. She was fucking beautiful and brilliant and brave, and sensual as all bloody hell even if she didn't realize it.

He fancied her.

Not just wanted to get a leg over her, not just wanted to have her for the sake of it, but well and truly fancied her.

So what in Salazar's name was he supposed to do about it?

That was the thought that occupied his mind, definitely not whatever Hermione and the prefects were talking about. So of course, he was caught rather by surprise when he heard her say, "...and the twelve sheep can sleep in the Great Hall, so long as the dragons will share their bunks."

Draco shook his head and looked at his roommate with clear confusion written on his face. She, and the rest of the room, burst out laughing. He would've been extremely irritated at being made to look foolish if it weren't for the captivating smile Hermione wore. Fuck, she really was beautiful wasn't she?

That's not what he said, of course. "What in seven hells are you talking about?"

"Maybe you'd know if you paid attention," she lightly scolded him, "Honestly, for a Head Boy you're setting a terrible example for the prefects."

"Spare me the Head Girl lecture. What are we actually talking about?"

She gave him a quick grin and said, "We're assigning lists of the students who are staying here for the holidays to the student leadership that are staying as well." She turned to address the rest of the group and said, "So, who all is staying here?"

Only three hands rose, his included. He had absolutely no desire to see his mother this year on the holiday break.

He loved her, and she him, but he knew she was very much so still cross with him for his betrayal. Not of Voldemort, she'd never really cared one way or the other for him, but of family. His family had chosen their path and his betraying it lead to his fathers death, how ever inadvertently. At least, in her mind that's how things worked. It didn't matter that he'd never been given the option to choose the path for himself, apparently. He could do without shouldering her resentment for three weeks, thanks much.

"Alright then, we'll work up the students we want you to keep something of an eye on while we're here. It's Holiday of course, no one wants to make you work too hard, but just keep an eye out okay? Now, last item for discussion is..." she dragged that last syllable out as she perused her bullet pointed list. So efficient.

"Ah yes, the last Hogsmead trip. As you all know, everyone not staying will be going home on the 11th. Tomorrow will be their last chance to get some Christmas shopping in, but it will have to be a short trip. There has been some trouble in the village lately and the professors think it's best if we shorten the visit. We had to fight to get them not to cancel it all together, and they only agreed because we said all of us of legal age would join them in the patrols. That means Malfoy, myself, Blaise, and you Ernie." she said to the Hufflepuff who'd grown into himself but still looked like a plush toy to Draco.

Ernie furrowed his brow a bit and said, "Will we be able to take a break to finish out shopping as well?"

"No, but professor McGonagall has said she'll allow us to go on the 15th to make up for it."

Blaise piped up with, "What exactly is this patrol meant to be for? What are we looking for, that is."

"Just anyone starting trouble or looking like they're up to something," she said in a light tone, "It seems there's been a bit of vandalism and more altercations than usual so the staff didn't want to take risks. If you see something, squeeze your prefect badge and it will alert one of the professors of your location and they'll come check it out for you."

They all nodded their heads in understanding and Hermione took that as the cue to end the meeting. "That'll do it then! You're free, I'll see you all at the next meeting, first Saturday of next term." Everyone stood and started making their way towards the exit.

"You're not funny, you know." "Hermione gave him a smirk that was very reminiscent of his own and said, "I'm a riot. You're the one who ought to have been paying attention, Mr. Head Boy. How am I supposed to keep the prefects engaged if I can't even hold your attention?"

Believe me, you're holding my attentions just find. He just gave a noncommittal shrug and a smile he knew she liked. As expected, she cracked a grin and said, "Oh, whatever. You're incorrigible. Want to grab lunch before we head to the next meeting?" Draco did, but he needed to sort himself out first. He needed to talk to someone.

"Sorry, can't," he said while making sure Blaise was still in ear shot. "I told Zabini I'd have lunch with him in the Slytherin common room. He misses me, you know." To his credit, Blaise didn't miss a beat and said, "Well if these lioness's weren't hogging all of our time, we wouldn't need to make lunch dates."

Hermione rolled her eyes at the pair and said, "Yes, I'm so sure it's hard on you to spend all of your time snogging Ginny's face off." Then to Draco she said, "Meet outside the office by the gargoyle then?" He nodded and walked from the room with Blaise trailing him. Once they'd made it a safe distance away, they slipped into an alcove that they then put silencing spells on so they wouldn't be overheard.

"So, are you going to tell me why you lied to Granger and dragged me into it?"

"I've got a problem mate. A massive problem."

Anyone who didn't know him well would've missed the flash of concern in Blaise's eyes, since the rest of his features remained perfectly calm. "Let's hear it then."

"I think- no, I _know_ \- that is, I... Oh sod it all, I fancy Granger."

Blaise stared at him for one heartbeat, two, and then burst out laughing. Draco personally couldn't see what was so funny. "What the hell are you laughing about?" he asked. Blaise merely replied, "That's what this is about? You've finally paid some attention and you're panicking like this? Merlin, imagine how you'd act if she said she fancied you."

Draco sputtered, "Don't be a git, just help me figure out what to do!"

"Well it's obvious, isn't it? Find out if she's interested in you as well. From what my little red bird tells me, our head girl is even more oblivious to her feelings than you are, and would be likely to brush off any subtle advances as a joke, so you may have your work cut out for you." mused his fellow Slytherin. "You _are_ interested in being with her right, not just shagging her? Because pained as I am to admit it, she's not the kind of girl you have it off with a few times and then ditch."

"You don't think I know that? If I was just interested in a quick fuck, Parkinsons is right there and more than willing, even after her little tussle with Granger. No, with her it's..."

"Different?"

Well, Blaise would certainly know all about it being different with this witch. Draco nodded his agreement and instead of the teasing he'd expected, Blaise clapped him on the shoulder in a commiserating fashion and said, "Looks like it's time to woo her then, mate. If she is feeling anything for you, she's probably repressing it because she thinks she'll make a fool of herself if she acknowledges it."

"Why the hell would she think that?" Draco wondered aloud. If anyone ought to have been worried about making a fool of themselves, it was him! She's Hermione Granger, brightest witch of their age, right hand of Saint Potter, Gryffindor Princess, and a million other titles that meant she could do no wrong. He was the son of a Death Eater who couldn't even follow through with his parents wishes.

"In case you haven't noticed, she's not the most confident when it comes to anything that isn't about her brains or her heart. Anyone with eyes can see she's rather fit, but she see's herself as plain and bookish, nothing special in the eyes of the opposite sex."

"And again I say, why the hell would she think that? She's supposed to be intelligent."

Blaise quirked his eyebrow at him. "You seriously can't think of why? Her two best friends are males, but I'm willing to bet they've never acknowledged her as a female or anything other than just Hermione. For years, she was teased by a certain little shit about her ugly hair and her ugly teeth and even her blood," that bit was said with obvious indication that he was referring to how Draco had tormented her, "She spent basically her whole time here trying to defeat an evil wizard, which didn't really leave room for much interacting with boys. Then to top it all off, she finally gets with the bloke she's had feelings for for years and he treats her the way Weasley did. Honestly, how could she _not_ have shit self confidence at this point?"

While Draco thought he was wrong about Hermione's self confidence - that witch had _never_ needed someone's approval to solidify her self worth - he made a very compelling argument about how she probably thought others saw her. Anytime he'd seen anyone flirt with her, she hadn't seemed to notice. Draco had always thought it was because she was too far gone for Weaselbee, but it made much more sense that she just hadn't thought they'd meant it how they had.

"How did you get to be such an expert on her?" he asked, though he could've guessed the answer.

"I'm shagging her best female friend mate, of course I know about her. Besides that, I'm incredibly observant and knowledgeable."

"Modest, too. Wait, you're shagging Weaselette?" Somehow, Draco had thought that she'd been withholding sex from Blaise this whole time. He knew it was different with her but he was still Blaise, and no one would be surprised if he'd just seen her as the ultimate conquest. Draco, wisely, kept that part to himself.

"Hi, I'm Blaise Zabini and sex is basically my only hobby." his friend said sarcastically.

"For how long?"

"Since that night after Hogsmead. Believe it or not, I was prepared to wait until she was comfortable. I told her as much too, but she didn't want to wait and I was far from unwilling. I even made a point afterward to tell her she wasn't just another notch, that I wasn't just trying to get her into bed."

Blaise rubbed his neck and Draco could tell that this was somewhat uncomfortable for his friend. He truly cared for the younger Gryffindor and her feelings. "I've made no secret of my past and I'm not ashamed of it, but I wanted her to know that she meant more than that. She actually hit me then," he laughed, "Told me she wasn't stupid and that she knew all of that before she ever agreed to be my girlfriend."

"It's been a bit over a month now yeah? And you're still just as besotted. Careful there, Zabini, I think you may be in love."

"You have no idea."

Draco gaped at him. It was one thing to admit to being interested in a partner, even in seeing someone more than once, but he'd never heard Blaise admit to having more intimate feelings for someone, let alone loving them. They'd barely been together a month! True, they'd spent most of the year together. But still, how could he be so sure so soon? Perhaps it was because Draco had never been in love but he was blown away by the whole thing.

Blaise shook off his sappy love drunk expression and said, "Anyhow, let's start working out how to get Granger to see you as a prospect, shall we? We've got a lot of work to do."

"Cheers, mate."

* * *

 **A/N: I absolutely HATE that I had to go this long without updating, and I'm sorry! The reason this chapter is shorter and took so long to get out is because I've been bed bound for the past week and a half. I live in Hawaii and while I'm not ghostly pale, I am still fair and this sun is no joke. I didn't apply enough sunscreen because I am a foolish foolish person, and then I laid on a beach on my stomach reading for nearly six hours. It resulted in a sunburn so bad that my skin literally split and cracked in places. I haven't been able to do anything but lay on my stomach and try not to cry this whole time, today is actually the first day I've been able to sit without being overwhelmingly pained. Let that be a lesson kids, ALWAYS WEAR YOUR SUN BLOCK. I know that this is a fairly short chapter, but I wanted to be able to give you guys something. And to make it up to you, I've decided to post a bit of Dramione smut that I wrote a few weeks ago some time tomorrow after I finish editing it. Just a little one off fun in case you're getting a little anxious for something to happen between these two lol. Anyway, sorry again! I've already started on next weeks chapter and it should be out on time. Let me know what you thought of this chapter!**


	13. Confronting Feelings

**Disclaimer: I do not own the rights to the characters or anything associated with the Harry Potter universe. Mores the pity.**

* * *

Hermione had been a fan of pumpkin juice with her breakfast since she tried it back in first year. It was the perfect drink to compliment her morning oatmeal. It was less perfect currently though, seeing as how she was choking on it. She coughed the last bit of liquid from her airway and turned on Ginny, sputtering out, "What did you just say?"

"I said have you noticed that Malfoy is looking rather fit lately?" Ginny repeated slowly, as though Hermione were being particularly stupid.

That's what she'd thought she heard, but was having trouble believing it. "What? Of course not!" Hermione protested. "He's my partner and my friend, Gin. I don't spend all day ogling him." This was by far the strangest breakfast conversation she'd ever had. When she made plans to have breakfast with Ginny in the Great Hall before leaving early to patrol Hogsmead, she hadn't imagined that the blonde would be what they discusses.

"Oh whatever," the redhead said with a dismissive wave of her hand, "You're focused Hermione, not blind. Personally, I think he's grown into his pointy little face quite nicely."

"It was rather pointy, wasn't it?" she laughed. She could very clearly remember a spoiled little brat with too much hair gel and too sharp a chin, complaining about always coming in second to her scores. "Maybe not being a a total tosser helped him come in to his features." Ginny snorted and said, "That and puberty. It's very lucky he had a change of heart," she mused, "It just wouldn't be fair for an evil git to be as sexy as he is."

Hermione only narrowly avoided choking on her juice again and made the choice to not drink anymore while her friend was speaking, just in case. "Ginny!"

The younger witch just raised her eyebrow and shrugged slightly. "What, it's true. Come on, look at him, Mione. Can you really tell me you aren't even the teeniest bit attracted to him?" Hermione sighed and looked over at the boy in question.

"Well," she admitted, "Subjectively speaking. He has come into his face quite nicely. It's still all planes and edges, but they seem more elegant now, less severe. He certainly has a mans physique now, broad and plenty muscled but lean, probably from flying so much. And his hair is much better styled like it is now. His eyes are intense, and incredibly expressive if you know what to look for. His intelligence is quite impressive, and his mouth-"

Hermione broke off and felt a flood of embarrassment stain her cheeks when she realized that she'd been going on and on about all of Draco's finer qualities. Out loud! Merlin save her, it was far too early for this sort of mortification. Ginny just looked oddly satisfied and said, "Like I said, the man is sexy." and then gave her a conspiratorial wink. Hermione thought she'd dodged explaining herself further until she heard, "Have you both gone mental?"

Perfect. She hadn't thought about the fact that Ron and Harry were sitting across the table from her and could easily listen in on their conversation.

The girls turned their attention back to the two and had to stifle a laugh at the expressions they wore. Well, Hermione stifled her laugh; Ginny let her amusement be clearly known. Harry's face was somewhat disgusted, as though he forgot that she and Ginny were girls who were interested in boys and talked about them on occasion. Or maybe he just didn't want to hear that his best friend and his ex thought his schoolyard nemesis was attractive. Ron was clearly angry, though why was beyond her. "I thought we got past your house prejudices after the last time we had this discussion." She let a small bite creep into her tone at that, casually reminding the pair of the strain they'd put on their friendships after finding out about Ginny and Blaise.

"It's got nothing to do with houses!" Ron protested even as he went a bit red around the collar. It's bloody _Malfoy_! He might not be an evil git but he's still, well, Malfoy!"

"I just don't want to hear either of you talk about boys that way. It's strange..." Harry tried, and Ron nodded his agreement. "Well you certainly didn't mind me talking like that when it was about you, Harry. And Ron didn't min-" Ginny broke off mid sentence when Hermione elbowed her in her ribs. How hard is it to keep one secret, even if it was one you could use to taunt your sibling?

Harry had choked on a laugh at Ginny's words, but Ron looked mildly ill. "Didn't we agree that you'd never bring any of _that_ up around me? As if I want to hear about my best mate and my baby sister doing Merlin knows what!" The three all shared a laugh at Ron's discomfort, and Hermione felt herself smile a bit brighter at how easily Harry and Ginny were getting along these days. It was just like old times, but with none of the tension from hopes and possibilities.

"And don't change the subject," Ron continued on, "Gin, aren't you still with Zabini?"

Ginny snorted and said, "Of course I am, doesn't mean I can't appreciate a nice backside when I see it. And besides, Mione is single and lives with the man. She'd have to be blind or celibate not to notice him." Hermione silently agreed with her. She didn't go out of her way to check him out, but there was no denying the allure of Draco Malfoy, now that he wasn't the git he'd been when they were younger. Looks aside, he was charming and witty and helpful. With her at least. And there had been that night they'd fallen asleep together on the couch...

Neither of them had spoken of it, and Hermione was fairly sure that Draco thought she didn't know what had happened. After all, he'd thought she was asleep. They'd been careful not to let it happen again since then but it had definitely changed the way she thought of him somewhat. Why had he touched her face and hair like that? Why had he run away? And, most importantly, why wasn't he bringing it up? Surely sleeping with her head in his lap would have made for excellent ribbing material.

Meanwhile, Ron had started sputtering about how ridiculous the statement was. It stung a little, in the way their comments always did when they made it seem like Hermione being a sexual being was preposterous. She didn't have time to get cross with them though, as the clock rang out 9 o'clock signaling her need to go meat Draco, Blaise, and Ernie in the courtyard so they could head to the village early. She stood and waved goodbye, telling her friends she'd see them after the trip.

Surprisingly, Ron jumped up as she did and said, "Here, I'll walk you to the doors." Three sets of confused eyes looked at him, but Hermione just said "Alright then," and started on her way out of the Great Hall. She was hoping Ron really did just want to walk her out. She was in no mood to talk about anything and in even less of a mood to mollycoddle Ron and his temper. No such luck it would seem, as Ron started speaking nearly as soon as they cleared hearing range of most people."

"Look, Mione. I think we should talk."

She knew what he was talking about of course, but decided to be intentionally dense. "Sure Ron, what about?"

"Um, well, what happened... you know, this past summer."

"It was a bit of a big summer you know. Lots of stuff happened. You'll have to be more specific." She didn't know why, but she needed him to say it out loud. He'd been so damn good at pretending like nothing happened that she'd wondered if he remembered at all.

"Blimey Hermione, I'm talking about when we _slept together_." He hissed the last bit just in case there were people listening. Hermione had thought she worked through the resentment but apparently she was wrong because the next thing she said came out before she could even think it over. "Oh, are we acknowledging that now? I thought it never happened Ronald." she bit out.

Somehow, Ron missed the change in her mood, and she found her self thinking about how Draco picked up on the slightest changes in her tone or expressions. The two were truly night and day. "Well yeah, but the thing is... I think Harry and Ginny know something."

"And what if they do?" she asked, feeling much bolder than usual. "We all know they went at it like rabbits this summer before they broke it off, why would they care if they knew we had one drunken tumble?"

His ears turned red at the frankness of her words and she found herself irrationally more irritated. Sure, Hermione wasn't one to talk so openly about sex, but why should there be any embarrassment in talking privately about what happened between the two of them? There was nothing shameful in two people enjoying each other, but he made her feel dirty when he acted like their night together was something that shouldn't be talked about.

"Are you ashamed of sleeping with me?"

Ron's eyes shot wide and his mouth opened and closed like a goldfish as he sputtered for a response. Hermione knew she was being unfair and not giving him a chance to explain, but in that moment she didn't care. She had mentally worked through the hurt and the rejection, she logically knew now that she and Ron wouldn't have been a good match, but her feelings didn't seem to care. What she felt was entirely separate from what she knew.

What she felt was stupid for having let herself hold onto her delusions even when all of the signs were there. What she felt was somewhat used at having given her virginity to a boy she felt so strongly for when he didn't feel the same. What she felt was shame at his immediate desire to pretend it hadn't happened, like it - like _she_ \- was a mistake. What she felt was that it was his fault, and he should feel as badly as she did.

"Do you know how it felt to wake up next to you only to see you looking horrified about sleeping with me Ron? Do you know how low that made me feel? Honestly, I know I'm no Lavender but you could have at least pretended not to be revolted at having had sex with me!"

"Hermione, you've got it all wro-"

"No you don't get to tell me I'm wrong, Ronald Weasly!" She nearly shouted. She could feel herself losing hold of her self control but she couldn't seem to stop it. All of the resentment and shame she'd been carrying since waking up in his arms came pouring out and she was helpless to stop it. Part of her wasn't even sure she wanted to.

"For years I waited for you to notice me, to see what was in front of you the whole time. And I can't blame you for not feeling the way I did because none of us can help what or who we want. But that morning, when I woke up, I was happy Ron. I thought you'd actually seen me. But even if it wasn't something you wanted, you didn't need to treat me the way you did. You should have cared! I'm one of your best friends and I was in a vulnerable place, and your only concern was telling me how big a mistake you thought we'd made!"

Her tears were flowing now, despite her best efforts. Talking through it all with Draco or Ginny was helpful and it dulled the edge of the memory, but this was something different. This was ripping the wound open and examining it with the one who'd given it to her. And Merlin save her, it _hurt_. Even if Ron never thought of her romantically, he should have cared about her as a friend. But he hadn't. Why did he never consider her?

"I don't blame you for not wanting me, Ron. I don't actually think we would make a good couple anymore, and I'm glad that you and lavender are happy. But you hurt me, and you never even acknowledged it. Even if we'd meant nothing to each other, we'd both just given ourselves for the first time. That matters. We're friends before anything, and you didn't act like it." Hermione wiped her cheeks and sniffed a bit, suddenly so worn now that she'd told Ron about the resentment she'd felt for the past six months. He was staring open mouthed at her, a grayish hue on a face looked like she'd struck him.

"I have to go. I can't do this anymore right now, I need to get to Hogsmead." she declared, needing to put space between them. They'd reached the entrance hall long ago, and she desperately hoped as she went through the doors that he wouldn't follow her.

* * *

The guilt set in almost the minute she left Ron in the entrance hall. She hadn't meant to explode on him like that. She didn't regret anything she said, but she shouldn't have yelled at him and not given him a chance to speak. He was still one of her best friends, even if she was hurt by him. She considered turning back and apologizing, but what good would it do? You can't take something back once it's done.

Hermione took a deep breath and tried to focus herself on her task. She needed to be focused, even if no one else seemed to be taking the patrols too seriously. She'd focus on Ron and that whole mess later. Luckily, the gates were a far enough walk that by the time she joined her classmates, along with Professors McGonagall and Snape, all evidence of her tears was gone.

"We're missing someone aren't we?" she asked, noting the lack of a certain slate eyed boy. "No, now that you and Mr. Malfoy have arrived, we're all here. Shall we?" Professor McGonagall said with a wave of her wand to open the gates. Hermione looked around, confused by what her teacher had said. What did she mean, now that she and Malfoy had arrived? She hadn't come with Draco. She found his blonde head at last, about ten paces behind her. Likely he'd been behind her this whole time and she'd been too bereft in her feelings to notice.

Oh Founders, what if he'd heard what she said to Ron? The last thing she needed was to be mocked over her feelings. Not that she really thought he would. Draco had given her no reason not to trust him since the start of the year. In fact, in some ways she was closer with him than she was with her boys, though that probably had to do with the fact that they lived and worked together. Still, she didn't want to risk it and hoped that her miniature meltdown had only had an audience of one.

As the small group made their way up the path, they found themselves in groups of three. Ernie had fallen in beside Professor McGonagall, who was alternating between speaking to him and Professor Snape. That left Hermione to be sandwiched between Blaise and Draco, a situation she never would've thought she'd find herself completely comfortable with. "And just what took you two so long to report for duty? Very unhead-like behavior if you ask me." Blaise queried as they stepped over an icy looking puddle. Still no snow this season, and it was beginning to piss her off. Why couldn't the weather just give her what she wanted already?

"I was having breakfast with Harry, Ron, and Ginny. You know her right? Red hair, pretty face, has a penchant for knocking you off of your broom?" she teased. It was easy to banter with Blaise and it didn't require much thought, something she really wanted right now. He laughed and said, "Hmm, sounds vaguely familiar. And you?" The last bit was directed over her head to Draco, who just shrugged and said, "I was running late is all."

"So mysterious, Malfoy. Some secret mission perhaps? Stealing someones secrets? Or maybe just a bit of morning snogging with some witch who doesn't know better?"

Draco just rolled his eyes, unruffled by the insinuations, and said, "You spend far too much time thinking about my whereabouts, Zabini. And you know I'm not snogging anyone."

For some reason she didn't have the energy to analyze too much, Hermione was pleased that Draco wasn't running around in random broom closets with whatever girls he could. They'd talked about their experiences and he'd been clear with her about his actions after the war, but she hoped he wouldn't revert back to that. _He's a good man even if he doesn't know it, and he deserves more than someone chasing his new notoriety as well as his bank account._ She was secretly glad that he wasn't involved with anyone. It seemed selfish, but she'd come to look forward to all the time they spent together, and a relationship would undoubtedly cut into it.

"You two are impossible." she told the boys matter-of-factly.

Blaise ginned and her and shrugged as if to say _So?_ , while Draco gave her a half smile that made her brain stumble a bit and said, "Possibly, but you like it." Then winked at her again. She'd later blame Ginny for putting the idea in her head but damn it all if he wasn't gorgeous. Really it was unfair. Her mind might've healed but her heart was still a mess, and someone who looked liked him smiling and winking at her was doing it no favors.

Feeling a bit of flush creep up her neck, she turned from his smiling face and said, "How about we just focus on what we're here to do?" The Slytherins chuckled and agreed, and less than ten minutes later they were in the center of Hogsmead. It seemed Professor Snape was the one behind the planning of their patrols because he waved his wand and a wispy map of Hogsmead appeared, along with their initials where they currently stood. It was in some ways similar to the Marauder's Map, and Hermione briefly wondered if that was what the potions master had based this on.

"I'll keep this brief. Professor McGonagall and I will be keeping watch withing the village, along with the other Heads when they escort the rest of your classmates here." As he said this, the small scarlet M and emerald S started wandering their way around the map. "You four shall be walking the perimeter in groups of two." Again the letters moved, this time the scarlet G and emerald M taking point at the Northern edge of the map while the yellow M and emerald Z moved to the South. "Your groups should remain opposite each other for the duration, giving any possible trouble less time to be unseen. If at any point you see something out of the ordinary, give your badge a squeeze and your Head of House will be notified and then apparate to your location. That's all." he said in his typical abrupt manner.

McGonagall asked if they had any questions and when no one did, sent them on their way.

* * *

Draco wasn't sure if he should tell her that he'd heard everything she said to the Weasel. He hadn't meant to eavesdrop, he'd just gotten a late start heading out and by the time he'd gotten to the doors, they were there. It was clearly a private conversation but they shouldn't ave had it in the middle of the bloody hall if they didn't want to be overheard.

Still, he wasn't sure if it was his place to bring it up. A part of him was sore at the fact that she still felt such strong emotions for the ginger git, even if she said herself that she didn't want him in that way anymore. No man wants the girl he fancies to feel any kind of way about another man. The larger, less selfish part of him was worried about her.

She wasn't saying anything, just watching the surrounding forest while he watched the village. Having patrolled with her countless times, he knew how strange this was for her. It was evident by the furrow between her brows and the way she was gnawing on her lip that the fight was troubling her, but how did he approach it? Should he just ask her whats wrong? No, she'd just deny it and act like she's fine. What then?

He decided to just go with the truth and, after a steadying few breaths, said, "Hermione. I wasn't eavesdropping I swear, but... I heard what you said to Weasley." Her head snapped towards him with her eyes wide, and he decided to press on before she cut him off. "I'm not saying that to make you uncomfortable or anything like that. You just look like you need to talk about it."

"Well I don't." she snipped out, clearly embarrassed at having her business known.

"Alright," he said, knowing not to push her, "I just wanted you to know that you have someone to talk to about it if you need to. Or just to know that someone understands. That's all." Where this soft side of him came from, he had no idea. When he'd woken up this morning, his plan had been to start courting her. Subtly at first, just compliments and looks to test out her comfort levels before actually pursuing her. Salazar knows she deserved to have someone take an active interest in her, and he'd wanted to do it properly.

But when he'd come upon her and seen the pain on her tear stained face, all thoughts of romancing her flew from his mind. Now he just wanted to comfort her, in whatever way she'd allow. Even if all she wanted was some silence to think through her thoughts, as she was doing now. After almost twenty minutes, soon after they'd passed a bored looking Macmillan and pouty Blaise, she broke the silence by saying, "Why doesn't he see me as a person?"

The words struck something in his heart and he hurt for this girl who'd been taken for granted. He kept quiet though, and she continued in her low tone, "I know I'm smart and I get on better with books than most people, but that doesn't mean I'm unfeeling. It should have been obvious to him that I would be a mess after what happened, even if he didn't know of my feelings for him. Even you picked up on it! Though you saw how I felt for him all along so maybe you're not the best example. But Harry saw it too! He might be a bit clueless sometimes but he see's me as I am. A person, a woman, a human being not just a walking library. That's what best friends do! They see you! How is it that he still doesn't see me?" she said as she broke off with a choked sob.

Draco threw is arm round her as she broke down once more and pulled her to him, letting her cry into his chest. He hated Ronald Weasley in that moment more than he ever had before. How dare he make this incredible witch feel invisible? He didn't deserve all that she gave him. Not her friendship, not her intimacy, certainly not her heart. He could strangle the idiot for being so callous with her. However, offering to murder the Weasel would only upset Hermione more, and that was the exact opposite of what he wanted.

When her cries had abated and left only small sniffs and hiccups in their place, Draco softly said, "It's not you, I can promise you that. I don't know why he doesn't see you, other than the fact that he's a ruddy fool. Anyone would have to be to treat you the way he has."

Hermione sniffled into his shirt. "He's not a fool," she said stubbornly, loyal to a fault even to those who didn't deserve it, "He just doesn't see me that way. I know how people think of me and I don't care, it's not a bad thing to me. But I just thought it was different with someone who's known me as long and as well as him." Draco rubbed her bad again at the waver in her voice and she raised her head, suddenly embarrassed at her behavior. "Merlin look at me! I can't seem to keep it together today. First I yelled at Ron and now I'm crying all over your shirt. I'm sorry Draco, I didn't mean to dump all of this on you."

"You really are clueless sometimes, aren't you?" he told her. She made to move away from him, confusion clear on her face, but he kept her in his arms, determined that she'd hear what he had to say.

"Firstly, I am your friend, and a close one if I'm not wrong. That means that when you're hurting, I'm there for you. Not out of obligation but because you deserve to not be the strong one all the time. You can lay as many of your burdens on me as you like, I am more than capable of handing it." Draco said, with a confidence he hadn't known he possessed. He hadn't really been a friend to someone in so long that he was unsure if he was going about this right, but he had to try. The dejection she wore was unacceptable, and he'd try anything to lift it.

"Of course we're close, Dra-"

"I'm not finished yet." He said cutting her off, even if it was nice to hear her say it. "Secondly, you have no idea how people see you. Particularly how men see you. You never even notice when someone tries to flirt with you and trust me, I've seen it with my own eyes. You are so much more than you think you are, and I'll not have you saying you're any less. You are The Hermione Granger. You are competent and strong and compassionate and breathtaking. Don't you dare let Weasley or any other bloke make you think otherwise."

A quiet settled between them that he didn't have the nerve to break. It was filled with the impassioned words he's spilled and the glittering of her caramel eyes. Draco had no way of knowing how she'd take what he said, but he was prepared for both a slap and another round of tears. She hadn't tried to remove herself from his embrace though so maybe that was a good sign. He could only hope that some of what he'd said sunk in.

"Do you really think that?" she said slowly, her eyes locked on his. "I know it, Hermione. Have I ever been one to give false reassurances?" She huffed a small laugh and shook her head no, and he was filled with warmth at the small happiness that started to show on her face. She still looked a bit sad, but it was a start.

"And the last bit, you meant that as well? I mean, the part about... well, when you said."

"Hermione, you're stunning. Only a blind man - and you apparently - wouldn't see that."

Her eyes glittered again, not with tears but with something he couldn't identify, and he desperately hoped he wasn't making her uncomfortable. The look on her face was the one she got when she was trying to make her mind up and he recognized the look of decision in her eyes, right before she leaned up - and kissed him.

* * *

 ** _A/N: With me, when I'm hurt by someone I care about, my emotions play out a lot like Hermione's have. I can talk myself through it all and logic it away, but I can't really get rid of the hurt (I might not even realize it's there) until I confront it in person. I'm not sure if anyone else is like that but that's how I imagine Hermione would process things as well haha but a confrontation between her and Ron has been a long time coming. And we finally got a Dramione kiss! But is it a kiss of comfort, or something more? I guess you'll have to wait until next week to find out, I've already got it ready! I might even post it early because I know how bad cliffhangers suck. Anyhow, let me know what you guys thought!_**


	14. I'd Like To Try

**Disclaimer: I do not own the rights to to characters or anything associated with the Harry Potter universe. Mores the pity.**

* * *

Draco knew that he couldn't read too much into her kiss. She was in an odd place, emotionally, and he wouldn't dream of taking that for more than it was. That didn't mean he couldn't enjoy it while it was happening.

It took less than a heartbeat for him to return the kiss, matching the gentle, determined press of her mouth. His hands, which were still on her back, moved until one was cupping her head, angling it slightly to deepen their kiss, and the other was wrapped around her waist. Hermione sighed into his mouth and leaned into him, seemingly as lost to the sensations as he was.

Draco had imagined a thousand times over what kissing her would be like, yet he was still entirely unprepared. The reality was so much better. She sucked lightly at his top lip as she threaded her hands through his hair, and he thought he'd go mad at her touch. Her lips were damp and warm, exquisite against his own. It was almost impossible for him to remember that this kiss wasn't about them, it was about her and what she needed.

All too soon, they had to come up for air. Draco opened his eyes first, watching Hermione come back down from what had turned into a somewhat intense snog. Her cheeks were flushed and her lips were slightly swollen, and her eyes had a glazed look to them when she finally blinked her lids open at him.

It was almost amusing to watch the shift of her emotions in her eyes. The glaze quickly gave way to realization, and then to what was undoubtedly embarrassment. He kept his arms where they were even as she brought hers back down and said, "Draco, I… I am so sorry."

"Sorry for what? You're quite a good kisser, Granger." He replied cheekily.

"But I shouldn't have kissed you! I just, I was feeling so bad and you were saying all of these wonderful things and - But you shouldn't kiss someone if it's not about them, and I _know_ that. I know it! Merlin, what's wrong with me?"

He stared at the blustering girl in his arms. He was a bit put out that she hadn't kissed him because she'd wanted to kiss _him_ , even if he thought that was a bit untrue, but her reaction was more or less one he'd been expecting.

"Hermione, stop." He told her, bringing a hand up to brush some stray curls from her face. "I know you weren't trying to use me. I doubt you're even capable of using someone. I understand. And I think you're ignoring an important fact. I kissed you back."

She brought one of her hands to her still kiss stung lips and slowly said, "You did, didn't you? Why?"

"Because I wanted to, I have for a while now, and there didn't seem to be a better opportunity than the present." He told her frankly. It was a delicate balance, trying to make his interest known without overwhelming her or making her uncomfortable. "Don't worry. I am the farthest thing from mad or whatever it is you think I ought to be. You needed something, I was able, and more than willing, to help. Simple."

The warring emotions on her face were strong and lovely to watch. On one hand, he could tell she felt guilty about what she perceived to be taking advantage of him. _I should be so lucky._ But on the other, his words had clearly hit home for her. He hoped.

Draco meant what he said, he had no problem with her kissing him if she needed to work though some feelings. He was still planning to woo her of course, but doing a few things out of order wouldn't hurt. The perks were definitely worth it. Finally she broke the silence by saying, "You're sure it's alright?"

"Positive. But I do think we should start heading back, it's almost time to walk back to the castle." He gave her what he knew to be a reassuring smile and gestured for her to start walking. It could have easily been awkward as they fell into step beside each other, but it wasn't. There was a pregnant, contemplative quiet for most of their trek as they both though about the shifting dynamics of their new relationship, but it wasn't a bad silence.

"Draco. Can I ask you something slightly embarrassing?"

"Go for it."

"Am I actually a good kisser? Comparatively I mean. You've got more experience on the matter than I do, so it seems only right I get your opinion."

It was such a Granger way to ask that Draco had to fight hard to hold himself back from laughing. She was clearly battling her insecurities and trying to mask it behind intellectually worded questions. He skipped teasing her though and said, "You are a _very_ good kisser, Hermione. Trust me."

She smiled a bit at that and said, "Really? Well thank you, Draco. You're not so bad yourself."

"See? I knew you couldn't resist my obvious charms."

Hermione laughed and playfully slapped his arm. With a bit less shyness, she said, "So you enjoyed it then?"

Draco was trying very hard not to scare her, but when she stood so near him and he could still taste her chap stick on his lips, it was next to impossible. He stepped in front of her, stopping them, so he could look her clear in the face when he said, "I thought as much was obvious, but I can see I'm going to have to be nearly transparent for you."

His eyes roved over her face and he brought a hand up to twirl one of her curls around his gloved finger before he continued. "I liked kissing you. I liked the way you felt in my arms. I'd very much like to do it again. It's possible that I simply like _you_. But I'm not sure you're ready for that, and I know you are still in an unsure place. So, I'm not asking anything of you. I'm just letting you know that when you are ready, I'm open to exploring this if you are."

* * *

Hermione couldn't believe what she was hearing. It was as though her brain had completely checked out and left her unable to process. It had been one thing for her to have kissed Draco, which she couldn't even begin to think about now, but _this_?

If she wasn't hearing him wrong, he was telling her that he wanted to see if there could be anything more between them than friendship. _Did_ she want that? After the mess she'd made of her limited love life in the past, could she start down that road again? Was her heart even ready?

A small flare of panic welled up in her before she found those tranquil grey eyes still focused on her. He wasn't asking her for anything now. Really he wasn't asking her for anything period, just giving her the option to ask for it. How could he have come to know her so well in less than four months? She'd be lying if her ego wasn't purring a bit under his attentions, at having been so clearly seen.

"Just some information for you, do with what you will." Draco said with a parting smirk, before he joined Blaise by the mass of students forming up to walk back to Hogwarts.

For the rest of the outing, her body was on autopilot. She helped keep the younger students mostly in line and managed not to walk into anything, but her mind was preoccupied. Almost out of reflex, Hermione had started to break down all of the information she had, labeling and sectioning each bit off until she could see a neat, organized mental map of what the hell was going on. Facts first then.

Fact 1: He had enjoyed kissing her.

Well alright, that seems true enough. After all, he hadn't pushed her away when she'd momentarily lost her mind. And he _had_ kissed her back, quite thoroughly. His lips had been slightly chapped from the cold, and the rough texture of them against hers as he'd taken control of the kiss had been heady and wonderful His mouth had tasted vaguely of mint and when he'd wound his hand through her hair -

 _Stop it, Hermione! Focus!_

She could feel a slight blush creep up on her at how easily he'd derailed her thoughts. Just one kiss and suddenly she was as silly as her old roommates! Honestly, it wasn't as though she'd never been kissed before. Never like that, though.

Anyhow, fact 2: He made her feel... well, he made her feel. She'd never known anyone like him before. Draco wasn't one to hand out compliments just for the sake of politeness, but he gave them freely when he felt they were deserved. It lent an air of honesty to his words so whenever he praised her, she felt genuinely appreciated.

He never just let her win an argument to shut her up, rather he countered with his own well-formed stances and battled it out with her until someone conceded. He didn't back down from her, nor did he belittle her for how she was. He acknowledged her flaws and praised her strength. He had somehow come to know all of her, and he wasn't intimidated, wasn't afraid. Hermione knew she could be intense and driven, sometimes to her own detriment. But he matched her step for step in severity and hadn't tried to make her dull herself, not for him, not for anybody.

Fact 3: He was unfairly attractive. The fact that he knew just how attractive he was downplayed it a bit, but only just.

The rest of the information she had wasn't so much fact as it was supposition. She couldn't say for sure that his words had been true - that he'd wanted to kiss her for months, that he was interested in her - but she didn't have a reason to doubt them either. Hermione was rarely unsure but she was out of her depth on this one, wasn't she?

Maybe she just needed to talk it through with someone. Hopefully saying it all out loud, having a sounding board for all of the tumultuous thoughts ricocheting around her mind, would clear things up.

And then, she needed to speak to Draco.

* * *

Were he anyone other than who he was, Draco might've been nervous. As it was, he was outwardly calm despite the apprehension coursing through him. The worry was almost enough to banish the memory of how her soft body had felt gathered to his. Almost.

The whole walk back to the school he'd stolen surreptitious glances at Hermione, though his stealth was clearly unnecessary. He could've been staring straight at he and she wouldn't have noticed, lost in her mind as she was. It was somewhat flattering that a short kiss and a declaration of his interests could draw her focus so entirely.

It was one of the things he liked best about her, the way she could focus so intently on whatever was playing out in her mind that she seemingly lost track of the world around her. Had she not stopped a few second years from horsing around without missing a step, he might've thought she'd actually checked out.

Draco wasn't sure what had possessed him to tell her of his affections, but he couldn't say he was sorry. She's learn sooner or later wouldn't she? At least he'd told her on his terms. Now he could only hope she wasn't horrified at the idea. If that kiss was anything to go by, she was on board with it, but he already knew he couldn't have any expectations of it.

Finally, they made it to the castle stairs. The Heads were responsible for monitoring the back of the procession and as such, everyone else had already gone inside. Everyone, that is, save for the guilty looking pair of prefects who'd hung around to wait for Hermione and himself. "So," Blaise drawled in an irritating manner, "Find anything interesting on your rounds?"

Before Draco could even open his mouth to reply, Hermione jumped in and said, "Nope! Boring, average patrol. Ginny can I talk to you?" Weaselette didn't even get a chance to say anything before she was being tugged up the stairs by the determined brunette who had a death grip on her arm. She shot Draco a questioning look but he only shrugged in response. He didn't doubt the girl was being dragged away to help dissect everything that had just happened, but he wasn't going to give anything away.

The pair stopped at the top of the stairs and Hermione turned back, a mental debate waging behind her eyes as she pursed her lips in contemplation. When she came to a decision, she looked at him and said, "Are we still on for dinner later?"

He let a small smile form on his lips as his eyes met hers. "Absolutely." Then his gaze turned slightly lecherous and, because he was still riding the high of her kiss and feeling rather cheeky, he added, "Wear something nice. Or not so nice." in a suggestive tone. It was a thing of beauty to watch the blush that suffused her cheeks and hear her sputter, "Get stuffed, Malfoy. I'll wear whatever I want to wear." before she hurried inside, she Weasley in tow.

"It would seem we have new developments to discuss." he heard Blaise say, and he turned to face him before saying, "You have no idea. First though, you're going to tell me exactly what you and your harpy did. You were supposed to subtly find out if she had any interest in me."

His friend grinned at him and said, "Right, about that." He motioned for Draco to follow him up the steps before continuing. "I told Ginny that you're all enamored with Granger and told her to drop some covert prompts to find out if it was mutual or not. As it turns out though, she's much more Gryffindor than I'd anticipated and simply barreled into her task. By which I mean, she essentially asked Granger if she thought you were shaggable over their morning toast."

"Did she say yes?"

"In a manner. I guess she was going on about the finer points of you, though how she managed to find so many I'll never know." Draco flipped him off but let him continue relaying the very interesting information he'd gathered. "Basically, she likes your hair and your body and your intelligence, and I think there was something about your eyes being intense," Blaise said with a mock shudder. "They probably would've kept talking but Potter and Weasley interrupted them. Then Weasley followed her out of the Great Hall and came back looking like someone had slapped him."

"Yes, that bit I saw. For the record, Granger would've been well within her rights to slap him. As it was, they just got into an argument and she soundly told him off. That's what we spent most of the time talking about actually, once we got past the I-Don't-Want-To-Talk-About-It silence."

Blaise looked at him with brows raised in expectation and said, "Right, and then?"

"I have no idea what you're talking about."

"Oh, come off it, mate. She's been upset by the Weasel a thousand times before, she never drags Ginny off to discuss it. Not to mention the way you practically eye fucked her in that last bit before they left."

Draco took a halfhearted swing at Blaise as they ambled aimlessly through the halls, which Blaise of course ducked. "Shove off, Zabini, I did not. I was just... admiring the view." Blaise just stared at him until he continued with, "And she may have kissed me, prompting me to tell her more or less how I feel."

This time Draco was the one dodging a swing as his friend said, "Oh you didn't think that was something worth mentioning? Go on then, what how did she react? And more importantly, how was the kiss?"

He let himself think back to it, remembering all of the sensations, and all he could think of to describe it was, "Perfect. It was bloody perfect. I thought I had it bad before but that was before I knew what I know now. And I imagine she'll tell me what she thinks tonight. I left her to her thoughts after explaining myself. That exchange when we got back was the first we've talked since my little confession."

"Do you think that was wise?"

Draco stared at his friend, confused, until he continued, "Well, you just snogged her right? Even if she initiated the kiss, I know you and I'm assuming you took control of it. So you have this first physical moment, then you revel your intentions to her, and then you leave. Correct me if I'm wrong, but that sounds awfully similar to what a certain idiot did to her before school started back."

"What? No!" Draco exclaimed. "That's not even close - it's completely dif-" he broke off as it dawned on him in horror that they were somewhat similar. He hadn't considered the fact that it might seem like he was treating her the same way Weasley had. Fuck, what if that's how Hermione saw it too? What if she was pulling Ginny away not to process their kiss, but to cry about his treatment of her?

"Oh shit." he said with muted horror. "Blaise, tell me I didn't just ruin this before it's even started."

Blaise shook his head and put a stabilizing hand on Draco's shoulder. "I can't lie to you mate, it's possible you've done some damage."

"Fuck fuck FUCK! How do I fix it?!"

"Go talk to her, before she has a chance to make it worse in her head than it already is."

Draco was tearing off down the corridor before Blaise's words were finished coming out of his mouth.

* * *

"So you do have feelings for him."

"No! Well, possibly. I'm not sure Ginny, that's what you're supposed to be helping me figure out!"

Hermione had dragged the youngest Weasley back to her room in record time. There was only about an hour and a half until she was supposed to have dinner with Draco and despite what she'd said, she did want to look nice. So she'd showered as she explained what had happened since last they spoke, Ginny longing at the vanity listening. She told her about the fight with Ron, the way Draco had comforted her, how she'd kissed him and he'd confessed, well, everything.

By the time she got done explaining everything, they were back in her room while Hermione tried to somewhat tame her hair and Ginny picked an outfit for her. She wanted to look good but not too dressy, just enough effort to warrant a... Well, Ginny had called it a date but she wasn't so sure herself. And anyway, she wasn't being very helpful at the moment.

"That wasn't a question, Mione. I was telling you. You do have feelings for him, otherwise how else would you explain all of this?"

"But what if I'm just confused? What if I'm just so grateful that _he's_ interested in me that I tell myself to be interested in him? It's not like I don't have a history if deluding myself when it comes to my love life." she said somewhat dejectedly.

"Then why didn't you tell him no thank you when he made his offer? Or whatever it is you want to call it. Why are you fretting about this dinner when you two have dinner together all of the time? And why did you kiss him? Was it about you being hurt over my idiot brother or was it because he knows you well enough to know exactly what you need?"

Hermione hadn't thought about that. She had convinced herself that the kiss was a fluke brought on by her raging swirl of emotions, but Ginny made a good point. And she couldn't lie and say she hadn't thought about kissing him before. Of course she had. But was it enough? Was she ready for this, whatever it was?

"Look, Mione." The young witch said. "I know you felt deeply for Ron. And Merlin knows I would've loved having you as an official family member. But you and Ron obviously aren't happening. You don't even want it anymore. Don't let the way he handled things between you keep you from taking a risk on something that could be great."

"You're right. I know you're right. I just can't help being skeptical. I mean, He's Draco sodding Malfoy for Godric's sake. Why on earth would he want me? And I'm not saying that to disparage myself," she said as Ginny made to protest. "I'm just saying, we're not exactly people who'd typically run in the same circles, to put it lightly. What if he... what if he doesn't actually feel that way?" She absolutely loathed the insecure streak that ran in her when it came to boys, but it was there anyway.

Ginny seemed to sense that she was at a bit of an emotional point because she dropped an outfit on the bed and wrapped her arms around Hermione where she sat at her desk.

"Hermione Jean Granger, you are the most brilliant witch I know. You know Malfoy, you know he wouldn't try to hurt you like this. But if you need a little insurance..." she whispered conspiratorially, "I'll tell you that Blaise seems very sure of Malfoy's feelings. He's suspected for weeks now, but he got proof when Malfoy asked him to help him devise a plan to find out where you stood. That's why I asked you what I did this morning. I was supposed to be slyer about it but you know I've never been good with sneaking answers from you."

For some reason, the thought of Draco enlisting his friend's help in pursuing her strengthened her belief in his words. It was so unlike him. It was almost adorable. "You're the best Ginny. I'm so lucky to have you as a friend."

"Damn right you are. Now, let's get you dressed. You've got a date."

* * *

Draco was out of breath by the time he burst through their portrait hole. He cursed the vastness of the castle the whole long way to their hall, and then cursed the founders and every ghost he could think of when he was delayed by the damn river. He came through the door just in time to see Red come out of Hermione's room, followed soon by the brunette herself. Draco's heart refused to beat, and he forgot all about the painful sawing of his longs as he took her in.

The cocoa curls he'd come to love so much had been left free to behave as they would, framing her face and tumbling down her back. She wore no makeup or jewelry which was nothing new, but she had a sort of glow about her all the same. She was dressed in a soft cream-colored sweater that looked to be of the softest pile and hung off of one smooth shoulder just slightly, reveling the strap of her camisole. Her pants were a light colored denim with low ankle boots to finish off the look. It was warm, which made sense since they'd be eating outside and the weather was definitely feeling more like winter now. But it was also stunning. Draco thought of every woman he'd even seen in a stage of undress, and wondered how it was that she was so much more beautiful in just a sweater and jeans.

"Wow," he said stupidly.

Hermione game him a bashful smile and said, "Hi to you too."

Ginny, who he'd entirely forgotten about until that very moment, said, "Well, that's my cue. See you later." and with a wink to Hermione, she was gone.

"You look wonderful," he said, fully aware that he was still staring but unable to stop. She smiled at him again and said, "Thank you, Draco. You look... disheveled. Have you been running?"

He'd totally forgotten about his appearance but now that it was brought to his attention, he was aware that he likely looked like an absolute madman.

He cleared his throat and said, "I have, in fact. I thought you might be upset with me for treating you like Weasley did, and I wanted to clear anything up before our evening." He was beginning to feel uncomfortable with all of the transparency he was giving her, when she hadn't said anything as to how she felt.

"What do you mean- oh. Oh!" she said as her eyes widened in realization. "No not at all. Merlin, I can't believe you thought I'd think- how simple do you think I am? They aren't even remotely the same situations!"

"Well how was I to know that? It wasn't like we bloody talked about it!"

"I am inexperienced Malfoy, not idiotic."

"Well at least on that we can agree." He loved this part of her, how fired up she got. "Anyhow, now that the matter is settled, I'll go get ready for dinner. Can't let you out dress me, now can I?"

"By all means do," she said, clearly still annoyed with him, "Feel free to shower for the sake of those sitting near you." Draco was going to wring Blaise's neck when he saw him for putting crazy ideas into his head.

In record time, he'd showered, redressed, and joined her on the patio for dinner. He'd gone for Malfoy casual, which meant he had on crisp black slacks and a well-tailored black sweater. Though she was still irked at him and didn't comment on his attire, the way her eyes took him in said more than enough to him.

After about fifteen minutes of idle debating, Hermione dropped her fork and said, "Really? This is what we're doing?"

"What do you mean, we do this all of the time."

"Don't be cute Malfoy, you know what I mean."

"Well I can't help it if you think I'm cute." When she leveled a hard stare at him, he relented and said, "Oh fine. What is it, specifically, you'd like to discuss?"

He watched as she gathered herself, clearly trying to maintain her emotions. "First, I want to that you for trying to cheer me up after what happened with Ron. I didn't handle it how I'd wanted to but that's for another day. Thank you though, for being there. For letting me cry."

Draco softly nodded his head. "Anytime. I meant every word of it."

"Yes, you usually do, don't you? Which brings me to the next topic..." Her voice trailed off and she took a slow drink from her glass before resuming. "I need to know what your intentions are. You made some allusions to... things, earlier today. But I'd like you to be clear and sincere with me. If you can handle that, being Slytherin and all."

His mouth quirked up into a small smile at her jab, but instead of the answer she wanted, he told her, "How about this? I've made more declarations than I'm really comfortable making, but I'll gladly do it again on one condition."

She gestured for him to go on. "If I tell you everything right now, you have to do the same. Otherwise, no deal."

Hermione appeared to think this over for a bit, and he took advantage of the momentary distraction to mentally trace the graceful lines of her. _Stop, Malfoy. That's probably very strange_. "Alright then, that seems fair." They shook hands and he cleared his throat to speak.

"I like you, Hermione. I think you are incredible in so many ways and as well as I know you, I'd like to know you better still. I want to know what kind of dates you enjoy because I've taken you on them, not because you told me. I'd like to be able to put my arm around you when we're on the sofa without worrying that I'm crossing some friendship boundary. I am sorry that you had it out with Weasley but I'm glad you let me be the one there for you. Definitely that it lead to that kiss. And I've said it before but I quite liked kissing you, and I'm hoping to do it many more times if all goes well tonight." He let a bit of heat creep into his expression as he said, "I find you nearly irresistible, and it's astonishing to me that you have no idea what impact you have on men. I'd very much like to take this spark between us and see what we can make of it. In summary, I'm very interested in being with you."

Across from him, Hermione was staring wide eyed at him. She looked a bit shell shocked but the soft smile and bit of something dancing in her eyes told him it wasn't a bad thing. "That's... wow."

"Have I rendered the great Hermione Granger speechless? Surely that gets me put in a record book somewhere."

"Oh shut up, don't ruin a perfectly lovely moment." she laughed at him. He studied her face while she looked at him, trying to find any answers given away in her expression, but he couldn't be sure.

"Whatever this is between us, I feel it to." His heart stuttered at that. He hadn't realized how worried he'd been that he was imagining all of her signs. "I didn't kiss you because I was upset with Ron, I kissed you because of you. How you act, how you think, how you treat me. That's all that was in my head. For weeks now I've been wondering if I was going crazy or imagining these feelings. I almost convinced myself that night on the couch was a dream-"

"Wait you knew about that?" Draco interrupted. Just how much did she know? He wasn't sure he wanted to be painted in the light of a mad who strokes slumbering women.

"I woke up a bit before you did," she said sheepishly. "I didn't know how to bring it up and you never mentioned it, and well... anyway, I'm getting off subject." She cleared her throat again and he felt some apprehension in her tone. "I think I'm interested in you as well, Draco. No, I know I am. It's just..."

He felt his stomach drop as he felt what was sure to be a rejection coming on. "You just don't want to pursue it."

She jerked her head towards his and said, "What? No! That's not at all what I was saying!"

And suddenly, he could breathe again. "Salazar's soul Granger, do me a favor and stop being so damned cryptic, would you?"

"I am not being cryptic! It's not my fault that you make assumptions, you prat. I was going to say that I'm not sure how ready I am, and that if we do explore this," she said gesturing between them, "that it would have to be at a slow pace!"

It was like something triggered in him at her acceptance. Slowly, almost predatory, he started to stand. "What makes you think I want to do anything other than take my time with you?" He watched the movement in her throat as she swallowed hard.

"And I don't want it to affect our work. As heads, in our studies, our side project, any of it."

By now he'd reached her side of the table and reached for her hand to help her stand. "Understood and agreed. How we work together is too important to me to fuck up as well."

"If I say no to something, you'll have to respect it."

He pulled her toward him and wrapped his arms around her waist, reveling in the warmth and feel of her. He used one hand to brush away her hair from her face, his fingers lingering on her jaw. "Obviously. I won't hurt you, Hermione." he said, dropping his voice low, "You can trust me."

She slowly wound her arms around his neck, eyes full of hope, and started to lean into him before she stopped. "What is it?" he asked.

"Look," she told him. "It's snowing. I told you the first snow was magical."

Indeed, small white flakes had begun to pepper the ground. It was a lovely sight, but nothing compared to the witch in his arms, smiling as though she'd been given the best gift imaginable. And when he tilted her chin up to cover her mouth with his, she kissed him as though he'd been the one to bring it.

* * *

 **A/N: Awwww the fluff! I love these two, man. Fear not, the plot is still very much so unfolding, but I wanted to give a few solid chapters to their blossoming romance. Besides, it's Christmas haha. Also, I want to thank everyone who reviewed the last chapter! It's my most reviewed chapter to date, so thanks for that. If you're new, welcome, and if you've been here a while, thanks for sticking around. I know it can be frustrating following an in progress story but it means so much to me that you all choose to follow this one with me. Let me know how you like all of these feels!**


	15. Winter Holiday

**Disclaimer: I do not own the rights to the characters or anything associated with the Harry Potter universe. Mores the pity.**

 _ **A/N: Hey guys, quick note. I am aware that there are an unacceptable amount of spelling errors in the past chapters, probably in this one as well. I have never been good at editing and up until this very chapter, I'd been writing this entirely on a program that didn't have a spelling/grammar check (re: the memo app on my phone). I plan on going back through and correcting mistakes but right now I just don't have the time to dedicate to it. I should probably look in to a beta, idk. Anyhow, sorry again. Just know they will be fixed eventually, promise.**_

 _ **Oh and this chapter is dedicated to**_ kalkidangegziabher _ **for their lovely review! Is dedicating chapters a thing? Whatever, I'm doing it lol. It's so important to me not to use unacceptable behavior (homophobia/misogyny/slut shaming/abuse romanticism/etc) as a plot device, especially with how easy it'd be with with this pairing. I'm glad it resonated so well with you!**_

* * *

Hermione was worried. Or rather, she wasn't worried and given her nature, she found that worrisome. She'd always been the type to worry over every detail because if she didn't, who would?

This time though, she wasn't. In the two days since their kiss in the first snow of the season, she and Draco hadn't had any problems. Obviously there hadn't been time for any true problems, but there hadn't even been any awkwardness that she'd assumed would come from snogging the daylights out of someone and then seeing them the next day.

If it weren't for the handful or so kisses they'd stolen since then, she might've thought she imagined the whole ordeal. It was real, and nothing much between them had changed. So yes, she worried. She told Ginny as much today when she took the carriage ride with her to the train station. Ginny was miffed about not seeing Blaise for two weeks but they were considering having him over to meet her parents during the holiday.

"Really? I didn't know you were at a 'meet the parents' stage yet."

"Believe me, I hadn't expected to be. I mean it's only been, what, five weeks? I don't know how Mum and Dad are going to react but I want them to at least be introduced."

Hermione and Ginny sat pressed up against each other, sharing their warmth, as the thestral pulled carriage rattled along the pathway. She was going to miss her friends but she didn't feel up to spending the holiday at Ron's family home, despite the fact that they'd been like her surrogate magic family since that first year. She'd hoped one day they'd really be her family, but...

Anyway, this wasn't a time to think like that. The Weasley's would always be her family, she just wasn't quite there yet.

It was unusual for Ginny to be this hesitant, and Hermione knew she was one of the only people allowed to see this side of the girl. "Hey," she told her with a shoulder nudge, "I'm sure they're going to love him. Blaise can be quite charming when he wants to be, or so I've heard."

"Yeah, that's the rumor at least." she said good naturedly. "I'm just... apprehensive I suppose. My family loves Harry so much, they practically adopted him, and I just know that Mum is holding out hope that we'll get back together. What if they make him uncomfortable out of some stupid loyalty to Harry? Or worse, what if I introduce him and they love him and then somewhere down the line we break up? It would be Harry all over again. I don't want to have to deal with that."

Her fears weren't totally unfounded. Hermione understood firsthand what the disappointment on Molly and Arthur's faces felt like when Ron had told them that she and he were only ever going to be friends. "Gin, give them a little more credit. They love Harry, yes. But above all, you know that all they want is for you to be happy."

"You're right, I know you're right. I'm driving myself mental over thinking things. I think you're rubbing off on me." she ribbed playfully. "Alright, enough of me. Your turn to spill."

"Spill what?"

"Spill what," the redhead mocked. "You know damn well what! You and an annoying blonde share a night of professed desires and heated kisses and then...? Come on, you've got to give me more than that! I tell you about everything with me and Blaise."

"And I really wish you wouldn't." Hermione shot back. Oversharing was a distinctly Weasley trait, and Hermione hadn't been able to look Blaise in the eyes for days after one particularly detailed story Ginny had shared. Honestly, some things she'd rather have left to the imagination. "Nothing else happened, Ginny. I told you everything that happened from the time you left to the time you barged into my room the next morning. Really, I know I'm usually up early anyhow, but that doesn't mean I'm functional or ready to speak to anyone." she grumbled.

"Yes yes, Hermione is a morning hater, I get it. There's seriously nothing you left out?"

"Nope. We've kissed a few times since then, but we've been basically business as usual. If it weren't for the cocky little smirk he wears, I'd think I made the whole thing up. I'm still not even sure I'm ready for wherever this is going." she confessed, feeling strangely vulnerable. There were barely more than a dozen students staying at school over the holiday, and that meant a lot of alone time for the two of them. "What if he's hoping to go farther than I am while we're on break?"

"Wow. My git of a brother really did a number on you, didn't he?"

Hermione drew her eyebrows together in confusion until Ginny elaborated. "You know Malfoy, Mione. Better than any of us, save for Blaise maybe. I have no doubt he'd go as far as you'd let him, but do you really think he's the sort to press you for more than you're comfortable with?" She shook her head no before hanging it a bit meekly, embarrassed by her insecurities.

 _It would be lovely,_ she thought to herself, _if I could just get over all of this._ Merlin's beard, she was 18 years old, and she'd already gone all the way once! Why was the prospect of any sort of physical intimacy so daunting for her? Maybe Ginny was right, maybe Ron _had_ done a number on her. The bastard. It would be so easy to hate him for jading her in this way but... he was still Ron.

"Is it..." she started hesitantly, "Well, you were with Harry first and had the expectations of the whole meant to be thing too. When you got with Blaise, was it hard like this?"

"In what way?"

"I mean... Ron was the only person I really pictured myself with. After what happened, I didn't really think I'd want to be touched again, by anyone. I know that sounds horrible because it wasn't as though he forced me or hurt me or anything like that." she stumbled through her web of feelings on the matter, trying to articulate what was going through her head. How do you say _were you scared to have sex with a new partner after being with someone who was supposed to be your one and only_ without sounding crazy? Well, apparently, you say just that, because the words were out of her mouth before the thought fully formed.

Ginny gave her an understanding look that, thankfully, held no pity or judgement, just understanding. "When Harry and I were first intimate, it was great. Really it was the only spot in our relationship where things didn't feel forced. I don't regret dating him, and I don't regret that he was my first. In a lot of ways, it felt like it was always supposed to be us for each other's firsts. But after we broke up and when Blaise and I started this whole thing, I was nervous. Harry had left his mark on me and I worried that Blaise wouldn't live up to it. Not because it was groundbreaking sex or anything, but there was so much history and emotion that went into it you know?

"When I told Blaise why I was nervous, he told me it was to be expected, and that it would be - should be - different, because they are different people. What I feel for Blaise it totally separate from what I felt for Harry, and the experiences are as well. Different isn't always bad, Mione. In fact, different can be exactly what you need."

When did the girl next to her get so wise? It was as though she'd taken all of Hermione's worries and dismantled them. She still wasn't sure exactly what she was ready for, but maybe she could just play it by ear and see what felt right. She threw her arms around her friend and said, "You are the best, Gin. Did you know that?"

"Of course I did. But I love to hear it, so feel free to tell me again."

* * *

Wandering around the grounds during a snowfall was possibly not the brightest idea he'd ever had, Draco thought as he tried to thaw his hands in front of the fire. He'd worn gloves and a scarf but even still he felt frozen to the bone. He heard the door swing open behind him and said over his shoulder, "I take back anything I said about the snow being nice. It's wretched."

He heard her small laugh as the familiar thunk of boots being shed fell behind him before she joined him at the fire. "You're such a baby. It's just a bit of ice.

"Says the woman who glared at the sky for weeks for not giving it to her."

"Yes well, I got my way eventually didn't I." she sniffed in a self-satisfied way. "It is bloody cold though. I may have a hot shower to shake this chill."

As diverting as thoughts of her naked under the shower spray were, Draco wasn't ready to be out of her company just yet. They'd spent all morning making sure everyone was ready to leave, and then Hermione had accompanied her friends to the train station. He knew she usually went to the Weasley home, so she was probably having a bit of a hard time thinking about spending the holidays without them.

"I have a better idea." He told her in a flash of brilliance.

"Oh?"

"Let's take a soak in the hot spring. Best of both worlds for you, getting warm and being able to watch the snow. What do you say?" He accented his words with a suggestive waggle of his eyebrows and expected her to balk at it as she had when he's slipped any innuendo into the conversation for the past few days, but instead she gave him an appraising look and a half smile.

"That sounds wonderful."

"Wait really?" he said stupidly, somewhat struck by her agreement.

"That's what I said, isn't it?" she said with a roll of her eyes. "Keep up, Malfoy. I'll go get my bathing suit on, I'll meet you on the deck? And cast a better warming charm than you did the other night, that one was pitiful."

"I was going for ambiance! It was mood weather!"

She walked off towards her room with a chuckle and what seemed like a muttered whatever you want to tell yourself under her breath. Cheeky witch. He did as he was asked though and five minutes later he was standing on the deck in his trunks, eyes on the woods as he waited for her to come out. In all truth, Draco did find the snow to be enchanting as it coated all of the trees and bushes in their little forest. Everything was set aglow by it and the overall effect was, well, magical.

"Are we going to get in the spring or just stand out here?" came from the doorway and he steeled himself to see more of the Head Girl than he ever had before. Upon turning, he took her in from head to toe. Her hair was wound into a knot at the back of her head to avoid getting it wet, showcasing the elegant lines of her shoulders and collar bone left mostly uncovered by the straps of her top. It was far from indecent, a typical bikini top that tied at the neck, in maroon because of course it was. Gryffindor's. Though he hadn't much room to speak in his green trunks.

Her feet were bare, as were her lovely legs. His eyes followed the shape of her thighs up to her bathing suit bottoms, a pair of maroon shorts that didn't quite contain the bottom of her arse. He'd see the suggestion of it through her clothes, obviously, and that morning after Halloween had given him visuals of her legs, but her bum was perfect and Draco knew he'd have trouble containing himself were he anyone other than himself.

"You look fantastic," he told her bluntly, and drinking in the small flush on her exposed shoulders. "You look rather fit yourself." she told him, indicating to his bare chest. She'd seen him shirtless before, but the way she drug her gaze over him filled him with no small amount of male pride.

"Ladies first."

She threw her towel at him and stuck out her tongue before turning to step into the spring, giving him the opportunity to watch her backside as she moved. This was going to be a great night, he could feel it. Draco dropped both of their towels onto the small heated rack before moving to join her.

The spring was hotter than he'd thought, and he hissed as he submerged himself, relishing the slight burn that came with it. Trying to test her comfort levels, he moved to sit next to her and put his arm around her. Much to his pleasure, Hermione shifted her position a bit until she was someone snuggled into his side as the reclined in the warmth of the water.

After a few minutes she said, "This is wonderful. I already feel so much more relaxed." He hummed his agreement and dropped a small kiss to the top of her head where it rested against his shoulder. It was peaceful and perfect until the irritating witch opened her mouth and said, "Do you want to have sex?"

Being the smart man that he was, Draco knew she wasn't propositioning him, but being who he was, he said, "Trying to shag me in the hot tub already, Granger? Well, far be it from me to argue." before burying his face in her neck and showering her with small, ticklish pecks that made her squeal and try to run. "Draco, you prat, stop it!" she told him between peals of laughter.

She finally managed to push his head away and whack his chest for good measure. "Git."

"You like it."

She rolled her eyes, the effect of which was somewhat lessened by the grin she wore, and settled next to him again as though it was where she was supposed to be. He couldn't have been more pleased. "So, are we going to ignore your question or are you going to explain what you meant so I can give you an answer?"

He felt her tense against him but she didn't move away as she said, "Well, I wanted to know if you were planning on becoming intimate while we're basically alone for these next three weeks. I need to know what your expectations are."

"Granger, Granger, Granger, don't you ever stop overthinking things?"

"Not really, no. And that's not an answer."

"Yes, I would like to become intimate with you, Hermione." He told her boldly. "I'd have to be mad not to, and I'd be lying if I said the way you look in that suit isn't doing wonderful things for me right now. But I have no intention of setting a time frame for it. I'm up for whatever you want, and if all you ever want to do is snog me in the hot spring until we graduate then I'll count myself a very lucky man indee-"

His words were cut off by the sudden presence of her mouth on his, not that he was complaining. He raised the arm that wasn't wrapped around her to tangle his fingers in her hair, tilting her head so that he could kiss her soundly. Her hand was on his chest and he could feel the damp slide of her body against his as she pressed in closer, demanding more. Well he surely wasn't about to deny her.

Bracing on the elbow of the arm that was still round her, Draco turned them so that his upper body was somewhat leaning over hers to give him access to her neck. He set about kissing all over it, paying particular attention to a spot just below her jaw that made her squirm and catch at his hair, which her fingers were currently threaded though. He dropped one hand to her side, stroking gentle lines from her rib cage to her hip. He brought his mouth back to hers after he was satisfied with the love bite he'd left on her neck, kissing her with all of the vigor of a newfound passion.

If he'd been worried that Hermione wasn't sure of him before, he certainly wasn't now. Her arms were around his neck as they kissed and she was arching into him, dragging the wet material of her bathing suit against his bare chest. When she nipped at his lower lip and took back control of the kiss, he gripped her hip to stop his hands from wandering as they wanted to. He was eager to know what she felt like, but not at the expense of going too far too fast. He meant what he said about being fine just kissing her and that's exactly what they did for the next few hours. When they needed to come up for air, they stayed snuggled into one another, content to stargaze and watch the snow fall from the warm cocoon of their spring.

They finally pulled themselves out of the spring when their fingers were wrinkled and both had yawned three times in as many minutes. Draco, ever the gentleman, braved the slightly chilly air first and got their towels, which he then wrapped around her as soon as she stepped out of the water. They both changed into sleep wear and had a light dinner, followed by more snogging on the loveseat, before they decided to call it a night.

Hermione laughed at him when he walked her to her bedroom door. "Really, is that necessary? You can see my door from yours, Draco. It's not as though anything would happen to me between the couch and my bed."

"Well maybe I just wasn't ready to say goodnight yet." he told her before gently pushing her up against the wall by her door and taking her mouth again. He didn't initiate much bodily contact, much as he wanted to, rather opting to brace one arm on the wall by her head and the other lightly around her waist.

It was a sweet kiss, less heated than those they'd shared earlier. He wanted it to convey that she meant something to him. She got the message loud and clear, judging by the stars that were in her eyes when he broke away. "Tomorrow, noon. We're going on a date. Dress to be outdoors. No, no questions." he said, cutting off what was likely to be an interrogation about their upcoming plans. "Just trust me."

Her face was entirely open when she said, "I do trust you, Draco." It did funny things to his stomach to know she trusted him. Funny, but wonderful. With a final parting kiss, he said, "Sweet dreams, Hermione." and retreated to his dorm to try and calm the racing of his heart. This was shaping up to be the best holiday he'd had in years.

* * *

 _ **A/N: I know I know, I owe you guys an explanation. Unfortunately, I don't really have a good one. Life just got really busy with work and birthdays and whatnot, and when I thought about sitting down to write a chapter, i just went ugh. I don't want to write in that frame of mind because I'll wind up hating the chapter and deleting it and well, yeah. Also a book I'd been waiting for came out and I'm not sure if any of you are Sarah J Mass fans but **_Tower of Dawn _ **was WONDERFUL. I didn't have high hopes for it but I stand happily corrected.**_

 _ **I wish I could say I'll be posting on schedule again but I'm not sure I can keep that promise so I don't want to make it. I am going to make the story more of a priority though.**_

 _ **Oh and today is my birthday! Hello 24, you feel just like 23. #VirgoGang lol. Let me know what you guys thought!**_


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